Wicked Game
by LovinJackson
Summary: An unexpected voicemail message sends the boys on a wild goose chase to reclaim what is rightfully theirs, unknowlingly playing into the hands of a forgotten enemy. Set in Season 3.
1. The Message

**Wicked Game**

**Author: **Tara aka LovinJackson

**Summary:** An unexpected voicemail message sends the boys on wild goose chase to reclaim what is rightfully theres, unknowingly playing into the hands of a forgotten enemy.

**Disclaimer:** Nope ... I still dont own any of them :P

**Authors Notes:** This whole story is a big shout out to **Gaelicspirit!!** Alot of the outline of this storyline is a credit to her and I hope it turns out what you expected, GS.This is for you!! Thanks for all your support and friendship!!

Thanks to **Angelustatt **for reading it over for me again and again hehe. Check out **'Amen'** and for brotherhood fans **'Kiss The Snow'** on her page ;)

Now onto the story ...

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**Chapter 1.** The Message.

The rocking and swaying of the ferry, the sound of the water beneath them, the wind on his face, it was refreshing. Almost like a feeling of freedom. They didn't get to just stop and take in the things around them very often. The two hour ferry ride back to Charlevoix, Michigan had given them the opportunity to do just that.

There was no immediate hunts lined up, no internet connection to hook his laptop up to. So Sam did the only thing he could do, enjoyed the short reprieve from their insane lives and tried to forget about his brothers shortening expiry date.

A groan from behind him had Sam smiling as he waited for his brother to reach him. He didn't have to wait long. Moments later he felt Dean's arm brush against his as Dean also leant against the railing of the ferry to look over the edge.

Sam took a moment to study his brother. The older hunter looked miserable, pale with an almost greenish tinge and looked like he was going to be sick. Usually seeing Dean so sick would have Sam hovering and worried but this time he just found it amusing.

It had been Dean's idea to take on their latest hunt. Beaver Island, the name had caught his eye and Sam remembered the jokes and comments flying out of his brother's mouth. It had caused a lot of eye rolls.

The first hiccup on the hunt was having to leave the Impala behind. Dean hadn't wanted to leave it behind but he hadn't wanted to take it across the water either. In the end the cost of having to take the car to and from the Island had made their decision. Bobby had been called and the Impala had been stashed, protected, in a friend's yard nearby until they got back.

In their line of work they usually stayed on land. Aside from that one time in Pennsylvania and the demon possessed co-pilot Dean wouldn't go near a plane. And in the two and a half years that they had been hunting together again they hadn't once been on the water, until now. Sam loved it. He loved everything about it. Dean on the other hand obviously liked travelling on the water as much as he liked travelling through the air. He wasn't petrified like he was with flying but it hadn't taken long in their two hour trip to Beaver Island for sea sickness to kick in, and a bad case of it at that.

The sea sickness hadn't been the worse of it.

"Oh God …" Dean had his eyes closed. The flexing in his jaw muscles told Sam that Dean was trying to keep his lunch down. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Sam couldn't keep the amused smirk off his face. "It wouldn't be the first time on this hunt."

"Shut up, Sam!"

Sam laughed. "Do I need to remind you whose brilliant idea it was to take on this hunt?" Sam grabbed his brother by the upper arm and pulled him away from the railing.

"Shut up, Sam," Dean muttered his eyes still closed as he fought the vertigo.

"Besides," Sam said as he guided Dean to the chair beside them. "I didn't think it was that bad."

Once seated Dean opened one eye and glared at the younger man. "Jesus staring at you all night didn't give you the creeps?"

Jesus. Sam remembered his brother's disturbed reaction to the life-size Jesus statue in their room. The 'Brothers Place' was owned for over seventy years by the Christian Brothers Religious Group and even though new owners had taken over Sam wasn't surprised to see that the setting of the lodge was still very religious. Wall murals with excerpts from the bible on them, statues and pictures had been spread out everywhere. Sam couldn't work out what his brother had been expecting but he knew that the older hunter hadn't gotten much sleep, complaining that he couldn't sleep with 'freaking Jesus' staring at him.

It turned out that Dean's uneasiness about the statue had been warranted. The ghost that had been haunting the lodge and scaring visitors and staff had been attached to the statue. How they lucked out having the thing in their room Sam didn't know, but Dean had taken great pleasure in destroying the thing.

"Not really." Sam admitted. It felt weird not sensing that anything was up with the statue when Dean obviously had. But then he wasn't sure whether Dean had been weirded out because of the ghost or simply didn't like having a humongous Jesus statue in their room.

"Freaky ass thing …" Dean's eyes closed again and he swallowed thickly. He groaned deep in his throat as another wave of nausea washed over him.

Sam pushed Dean's head down so it was between his knees. "Just breathe deeply. We're almost there."

It looked like they would be sticking with land transportation for a while if Dean's reaction to flying and boats was anything to go by.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Dean moaned, not looking up at his brother.

Sam thought back to the hotel with all the dolls and the ghost of the little girl. Dean had been amused at Sam's expense when he had been suffering through a hangover. This was close enough to payback for Sam so ... "Not at all, Dean." His voice was laced with humorous sarcasm.

Dean snorted but otherwise remained quiet as he rode out this bout of sea sickness. This whole Ferry ride was making him appreciate his beloved Impala even more than he already did.

Thinking of the Impala made him nervous. They had been on Beaver Island for three whole days. She had been sitting in the yard of some tow truck driver friend of Bobby's for that whole time and Dean didn't like it at all. Granted it was better than paying for parking when they had a whole arsenal of weapons in the trunk but he still didn't like it.

The Ferry dipped unexpectedly and Dean groaned as he felt his stomach jump up into his throat from the motion, like when you were on a really fast roller coaster and it dipped all of a sudden. Dean had no problems with roller coasters. In fact he thought that they were fun. But for some unknown reason he was sea sick and the ups and downs of the ferry on the bigger waves was making him feel even worse.

Sam reached out for the railing to keep his balance. They were almost near the dock now. "It's okay Dean." Sam took pity on his brother. "The Ferry is just slowing down. It mean's we're almost there, Dude."

"I'm fine."

Sam shook his head and laughed quietly at the man's stubbornness. Here Dean was hunched over trying not to be sick and yet he still insisted that he was fine. Sam could admit that he had no room t talk though. Stubbornness. That damn Winchester Stubbornness was something that they had both inherited from their father. Sam was desperately hoping that it was this same stubbornness that was going to pull them through when it came to finding a way out of Dean's deal.

Every time Sam thought about losing his brother he felt like he was suffocating. He couldn't do this without Dean. He couldn't live without his brother around, especially not when it was entirely his fault that Dean was going to hell in the first place. Dean, of all people, did not deserve to burn in hell for eternity. He deserved to be happy. He deserved to get the things that he wanted in life, whatever that was. Sam was going to make damn sure that Dean wouldn't have to know what hell fire felt like and he didn't care if it put his life on the line because his life was forfeit if he allowed his brother to suffer that fate.

Dean concentrated on breathing slowly in and out as he rode the wave of nausea. Once he felt he was over it he risked opening his eyes and saw that Sam was no longer standing next to him holding onto the railing but seated on the other side of him. Dean glanced at his little brother, quickly checking him over. The hunt had been a miserable time for him but Sam hadn't exactly been living it up either. The kid had found Dean's trouble with the whole place amusing until the spirit had made itself known in the Jesus statue and Sam's back had met harshly with their motel room wall. He had been out for a few seconds and seemed a little stiff afterwards but otherwise seemed fine. Dean wasn't one to just forget about those facts though. Despite his annoying sickness he had been trying to keep a close eye on Sam to make sure there were no lingering complications with the slight head injury.

As Dean studied his brother it seemed that the younger boy was still fairing better than him. Dean snorted and rubbed his queasy stomach.

"What?" Sam questioned.

"Nothing."

Sam shrugged but turned so he was facing his brother a little more. "So ... I called Fiona and she said she would have the Impala waiting for us at the dock."

That got Dean's attention, his head shooting up. "She's driving my car?" The picture of the hillbilly looking tow truck driver behind the wheel of his baby momentarily took his attention away from the swaying and rocking of the Ferry. Fiona was apparently a good friend of Bobby's and Dean appreciated her helping them out with no questions asked but driving his car as a whole other deal.

"Yeah, I thought you'd want to get re-acquainted straight away."

An incredulous look came across Dean's features. "You told her to drive my car?"

"Yes ..." Sam drawled out and then rolled his eyes as he caught onto what had his brother so disturbed. "Dude, she's a tow truck driver. I'm sure she can handle driving the car to us."

"Did you see this woman?" Dean exclaimed. He shook his head in frustration and glared at his brother. "Dude, one mark, one tiny little scratch and I'm so going to kill you."

An announcement over the Ferry's intercom interrupted Sam's answer. They were docking. The trip was over and Dean hadn't looked happier in a long time. Beaver Island had not been as fun as what Dean had been expecting. It had been a freaky pain in the ass and he had just about had his fill of religion being shoved down his throat everywhere he went. They were heading back to normal. They were heading back home to the Impala and the open road. It was time to get back on the hunt for more demons that had escaped from Hell's Gates and send them back where they belonged.

Dean wanted to get as many of the sons of bitches as he possibly could before his time was up. That and trying to look after his brother, preparing him for the inevitable was the only things that were keeping Dean sane. They were keeping his mind off what was awaiting him which was a good thing because if he were allowed to slow down and think about it, really think about it, then he might let slip just how terrified he actually was. Sam was already convinced he was scared and had called him on it. This was obviously something that he couldn't hide from his brother but he'd be damned if he would let himself dwell on it. If he dwelled on it then Sam would and he didn't want that for him.

The problem was Dean wasn't sure what terrified him more, what awaited him in Hell or Sam dropping dead for interfering in the deal. It was something that plagued his mind everyday because he knew that Sam was determined to find a way to get him free of his fate. Sam was like a dog with a bone when he wanted something and nothing was going to stop him if he really wanted to do something about it ... short of tying him up, but they hadn't reached that stage yet.

When the Ferry finally stopped and passengers started disembarking Sam stood and reached out an open hand to his brother, an offer of assistance. Despite Dean's initial thoughts that he could handle that himself Dean grasped Sam's hand and allowed Sam to help him to his shaky feet. It was sometimes allowing Sam the little things that helped a long way in Sam feeling like he was doing something for his big brother. Dean was aware of this and lately more often than not he allowed Sam this because he knew his brother needed it. He needed to feel useful especially when everything he had done to try and help get Dean free of the deal had failed miserably.

Stepping onto dry land was the best feeling Dean had experienced in three days. He was never going to this island again. Beaver Island was not all that it was cracked up to be and if he did happen upon this way again he knew for damn sure that he wouldn't be staying at 'The Brothers Place'. A nice normal motel without all the religious trimmings was definitely what he would be looking for. But then it was a moot point because he had less than a year left and he could think of better places than Beaver Island to spend it.

"Feel better?" Sam asked casually as walked in time with his brother's steps.

"I'll feel better when I see if my car is still intact." he grumbled re-adjusting the duffle strap on his shoulder.

"Oh for God sake ..." Sam began to chuckle but was cut off by Dean stopping mid stride.

"No." Dean pointed his index finger at Sam. "No more God, Jesus, Christ or any other religious comments for at least a week."

Sam did laugh then. "Dude, it wasn't that bad."

"Says the guy who prays everyday," Dean remarked throwing Sam a sidelong glance. "Not my thing, Sammy."

"Yeah." Sam sighed. "I got that the few thousand times you mentioned it. As I said before, do I have to remind you who suggested we take on this hunt?"

"Yeah, whatever, dude." the older hunter waved him off with a flick of his hand.

The sight of the Impala was truly a sight for sore eyes. She was gleaming in the daylight like she was happy to see him. Dean smiled. Damn he was happy to see her too. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the overall wearing female tow truck driver _sitting_ on his hood. "What the hell..." he muttered under his breath.

"Dean ..." Sam started.

Fiona saw the boys approaching the Impala and quickly jumped off from her perch on the hood. She smiled a toothless grin as they got closer not noticing the murderous look that Dean was throwing her way. "Hey boys," she greeted. "How was your trip?"

"Just fucking dandy," Dean muttered.

Sam threw Dean an exasperated look. When Dean was in a bad mood he usually tended to let everyone around know it. This time was no exception but Fiona doing anything remotely dangerous to his car hadn't helped Dean's agitation. Sam smiled at her. "Don't mind him, he had a bad time. Who knew Dean Winchester got sea sick."

Fiona's eyes softened and she reached out a hand to the oldest Winchester. "Oh you poor Darlin'."

"I'm fine." Dean grumbled stepping out of her grasp. His concentration had left the conversation and was looking for any marks on the hood and anywhere else on his cars shiny black paint.

Fiona looked to Sam when Dean seemed to be more interested in greeting his car than her. "Did you ... you know ... get the job done?"

Bobby had told them that Fiona had helped him out of a few jams earlier on in his hunting career. She knew what they did and why they did it but she didn't involve herself other than to help out a few hunters here and there, especially when Bobby recommended them. It felt good to Sam that for once they didn't have to hide what they were doing.

"We handled it." Dean piped up, finished with his inspection, his hand resting on the hood. Just seeing his baby all in one piece had helped calm his stomach and he was feeling a lot better but that didn't mean that he wanted to sit around chit-chatting with Bobby's _girlfriend_, as he had dubbed her.

"Thanks for all your help with the car, Fiona." Sam thanked her genuinely. It was a relief that he hadn't had to put up with Dean for the whole trip stressed out about his car in some random long term parking lot. He had been worried enough with just leaving her with Fiona.

The tall women grasped Sam's hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. "You're welcome Sam. Friends of Bobby's are friends of mine." She released Sam's hand and looked over the car. "And it's not everyday I get to keep a beauty like her in my yard."

Dean stood up a little straighter at hearing praise for his car. He allowed a small smile. The Impala was definitely one beautiful machine. He ignored Sam's eye roll and walked over to the driver's side door.

"Do you need a lift home?" Sam asked. The look Dean shot him almost had him laughing but he managed to contain himself.

Fiona shook her head. "No thanks boys." She took a couple of steps backwards and pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm meeting a _friend_ for lunch, if you know what I mean."

Dean had a feeling he did and he really didn't want to know. He swallowed thickly but managed a parting smile. "Thanks again and ... have a nice lunch." He quickly dipped down into the driver's seat and started the engine. He impatiently waited for Sam to get seated.

Once Sam was in the car and the door had been shut both boys watched as the tow truck driver walked off down the street to meet her lunch companion. Dean shuddered when Sam brought his gaze to him. "So ... where to?"

"How about we find somewhere to stay for the night and set out fresh tomorrow?" Sam suggested.

"Great idea, I knew there was a reason I kept you around." he quipped as he manoeuvred the car into traffic while Sam tried to figure our where they were going to stay.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Dean shifted on the mattress. He knew it was well into the morning and he should probably think about getting up but it was so comfortable and warm. There was no freaky Jesus watching his every move. He'd had the first bit of uninterrupted sleep he'd had in three days and he wasn't all that happy to let that go just yet. With the waking world came the knowledge that his brother was slowly becoming more and more desperate to keep him alive and he was still going to hell. A few more minutes wouldn't kill him.

They had, or rather Dean had, decided to avoid squatting this time round like they had a lot lately and opted to pay for a motel room. Dean wanted to make sure that he slept in a real bed. He wanted to have a good nights sleep and Sam hadn't argued knowing that although as amusing as the hunt had been for him, Dean really could use a good sleep.

Dean kept his eyes closed as he lay on his stomach. He could hear Sam moving about and then, judging from the tapping of the keys, Sam had stopped at the table to use his laptop.

Dean moaned in contentment, rolling over onto his back and throwing his arm over his eyes.

"About time you woke up." Sam commented from his seat at the computer.

"What time is it?" Dean lifted himself up to lean back against the headboard, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the palm of his hand.

Sam looked at the time on his computer screen and then back across at his brother. "Almost 11.30 am."

Dean relaxed back against the head board and studied his brother. He silently wondered how long the boy had been awake. He wasn't too concerned because he knew that early mornings was not unusual for the younger hunter, but he did hope that Sam had spent his morning searching for demonic activity and not searching for a way out of the deal.

"Found anything?"

"Bobby called to see how the hunt went. He said he might have picked up something that was close to us, suggested we might wanna check it out."

Throwing the covers off his legs Dean shuffled forward, bringing his bare feet to land on the carpet. He ran a hand through his bed hair making it even messier. "Sounds good to me, dude," he replied.

Pushing off the bed with a tired groan Dean searched through his bag for some clean clothes and found himself amazed at how quickly a Laundromat was needed. It seemed every time they did washing there was more to be done before he knew it. Finally finding a clean shirt and boxers hiding amongst his dirty clothes Dean added the jeans he had worn the day before to his pile and carried it over to the bathroom door. "After I have a shower what do you say we do breakfast?"

Sam looked at the time again and then smirked up at his brother. "Dude, by the time your ready for breakfast it will be lunch time."

"So we have lunch then." Dean shrugged his shoulders. "Food is food to me Sam, no matter what time of day it is."

Sam couldn't argue with that and watched as Dean closed the bathroom door behind him. His attention was brought back to his computer screen and his lack of results. There was so much he needed to know and in such a short time. Some stuff, like Dean's deal, he had help with and others he was all by himself.

Bobby was just as adamant in finding a solution in Dean's Deal as he was and he was never more grateful that they had the man in their lives.

John had been selective with who he let his children see in the hunting community and who he didn't. For the longest time Sam had assumed that his father was one of only a few that lived the hunting life. Bobby, Caleb, Pastor Jim. They had all been healthy influences in his and Dean's lives. They had always been willing to go to bat for the boys, even if John didn't agree.

Pastor Jim had been helpful in his decision to try life outside of hunting and although he regretted how things had ended up, how he had left, pretty much disowning his family but he would never regret having the opportunity to experience normal. He knew he could have handled things better than he had but then John Winchester hadn't been an easy man to deal with, especially if you were his rebelling youngest son. John didn't take in-subordination well and Sam didn't take orders along with his fathers need to know basis very well so they had clashed.

He wished desperately that he could go back and handle things differently. But that was impossible. John was dead. His father was dead and so were Caleb and Pastor Jim. Bobby had stepped up to the plate. At least with Bobby they knew that he would be there if they called him. He would answer his phone. They had backup and more importantly he had someone there working hard to help him with Dean's problem.

Turning off his computer Sam waited for the screen to shut down before closing it and shoving it in his bag. He stood up and looked around the room deciding that while Dean was in the shower he may as well get their stuff together so they could hit the road right away.

xXxXxXxXxXx

"So tell me about this new hunt, Sammy." Dean said around a mouth full of fries.

After they had topped up the Impala they had pulled into the local diner to fuel her owner. The old Chevy was a gas guzzler and Sam noticed that the same could be said about Dean ... only with the human kind of food. And now he was comparing his brother to a car. Sam shook his head to bring himself back to reality.

"The hunt." he repeated.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah. The hunt."

"Right." Sam shifted in his seat preparing to start his spiel on what Bobby had told him over the phone and what he had researched himself. "So ... Bobby heard news of a couple of bus crashes in Boyne City, Michigan."

"Bus crashes?"

"Yep," Sam replied, opening up his laptop to show the other hunter what he had found. "There have been two so far."

"Two doesn't make a pattern, Dude." Dean shrugged, leaning forward to take a bite out of his bacon and cheese burger that was dripping with ketchup.

Sam made a disgusted face at his brother's food, earning him a 'what' look from Dean. "Here. I found this article." he turned the laptop around so that Dean could see.

"Were there any survivors?" Dean asked. Considering the photo that went along with the article it looked doubtful.

"I'm getting to that."

Dean gestured for Sam to continue and then took another bite of his burger. He was used to Sam's long, drawn out, detailed explanations. He wasn't complaining because most of the time Sam did all the research they needed. Sam had always enjoyed the research aspect of hunting and Dean found it to be mostly boring so their positions in their two man team suited Dean fine. Sam was always thorough and Dean knew that the fastest way to get yourself hurt of killed on a hunt was to go into one unprepared.

"So ... Both buses crashed into service stations killing all the passengers except ..." he paused for effect. "...the driver."

"Okay ... I'm still waiting for the punch line. Why is this our type of gig?"

"Apparently both drivers seemed dazed after the crash. Later they both describe their experience as like they couldn't stop themselves, like they were being controlled. They both remember aiming the buses at the service stations and then jumping out."

"Okay, that sounds more like it." Dean dipped a few chips in the mound of ketchup he had poured on his plate and then aimed them straight for his mouth.

"Yeah. We could go interview the driver's maybe? See if it's demon possession or if we can pick up a pattern," Sam suggested, taking a sip of his coke.

"Well they certainly made sure to crash where they would get the biggest effect, the biggest destruction. Sounds like a demons work to me."

"Well we won't know for sure until we get there." Sam twisted his laptop back around and closed it. "Whenever you've had your fill of course." he added with a smirk.

"You can't rush this, spoil sport," Dean griped.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "You sure you don't want more burger with your ketchup?"

"What I cant like my ketchup now?" Dean raised his own eyebrow in retaliation.

"I didn't say anything."

Dean pointed his finger at his brother. "Good. You worry about whatever goes on in that freaky head of yours and I'll worry about how I choose to eat my food." He took a bite and grimaced. "Which isn't exactly _that_ good."

"Then why are you eating it, doofus?" Sam laughed, shaking his head.

Placing the burger back down on his plate Dean leaned back. He brought his own glass of coke to his mouth and took a long drink, draining the glass and washing the taste from his mouth. "Because I was hungry, but apparently no amount of ketchup will help with taste," He grumbled.

"You wanna hit the road?" Sam asked already rising in anticipation.

"Why not." Dean rose from his own seat and followed behind his brother. He only stopped to pay for their meal, begrudgingly. The waitress's weren't even hot! Once outside the boys made their way over to the Impala. "I wanna go through a drive through on the way to Boyne."

"If it will stop you bitching about your stomach ... okay then." Sam opened the door with a familiar squeak and sat down.

Dean followed suit, sliding in behind the wheel and starting her up. His eyes slid towards the glove box. "Hey Sammy, get Dad's phone out and check the voicemail will ya? I haven't checked it since we left on the Ferry." He placed his arm along the back of the leather bench seat and looked over his shoulder as he backed the Impala out of the parking spot.

Once they were on the road and on their way to their next destination Sam flipped open their father's old phone and accessed the man's voicemail. Placing it to his ear Sam waited patiently as the automatic operator went through the usual spiel that he had heard a million times now. Sam rolled his eyes when the first message turned out to be a telemarketer selling beauty makeovers. Sam sat up straighter at the second message causing Dean to look his way.

_"Mr. Cage. This is Officer Harrison at the police impound in Hastings, Nebraska. A black Chevy GMC in your name was involved in a robbery. We need you to come in and sign the appropriate papers to collect your vehicle ..."_

TBC ...

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_So ... how was that? I hope ya'll like it. For all the Brotherhood fans that happen to read this ... yes it hurt to right that Caleb was dead lol but it ensures that this will stay canon lol and yes I did steal Fiona from that as well coz she was just to fun to play with lol

So ... let me know what you think :) and thanks again to Gaelic :D waves

Tara x0x


	2. John's Truck

**Authors Note: **Hey! I wanna thank you all for all your wonderful reviews :) They mean the world and I'm happy that you all liked the first chapter. I know I have said this a lot lately while posting stories but I hope the next update wont be such a long wait. This time of year has proved busy and chaotic lol If you're still with me then thanks and I hope you enjoy this next part. Thanks to **Angelustatt **and my **Mum** for helping with this chapter.

At the end of this chapter in my end authors notes there is a message I was asked to post about the writers strike ... now onto the story ...**

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**Chapter 2. John's Truck.**

"I still think that we should have used that distraction from _Gone in 60 Seconds._ You know like that little black dude did?" Dean snickered as they made their way quietly through the lot in the police impound.

Sam rolled his eyes deliberately not looking at his brother. A vision of Dean playing with a plastic doll to distract the Impound officer came to his mind and he shook his head to clear it. "Yeah, because we should take a chance with your mug on America's most wanted list." He replied sarcastically. "That's a real clever thing to do."

Dean shrugged as he followed Sam past other impounded cars. His response was cut off when he saw it off in the distance near the back roller door. Sam had organised with the Officer that had called to have the truck ready for them to take. It insured that when they came to get the truck they wouldn't be boxed in.

The sight of his father's truck after all this time was enough to make him pause. He felt a lump in his throat. Just looking at the massive truck reminded him of his father. The last time he had seen him drive off in it was to go and meet Meg. That was the last time he had seen his father _as_ his father before waking up in the hospital and that was something that he really didn't want to think about. John was fine now, still dead but no longer in hell. It felt like it had been years since they had burnt their fathers body but in the same instance it felt like only yesterday, even more so when the man's truck was right in front of him.

"Dean?"

Sam's voice brought him back to the present and Dean shook off the feelings and emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. "Let's bust her out, Sammy."

Sam nodded and continued on the remaining distance separating them from the truck. As he reached the vehicle Sam placed his hand on the side panel and just took in the sight of it. There were so many things running through his mind right now that he didn't know what to say. They needed to get out of here, get the truck out before someone caught them. It was risky enough what they were doing and it was only the two of them. There was no team of car boosters to help them like in _Gone in 60 Seconds_ and if they were caught they would be going down for more than just stealing a truck. Murder and a number of other crimes would be pinned on them and the last thing Sam needed was for him or both of them to be imprisoned when he had to find a way to break his brother's deal.

Sam moved onto the driver's side door and took out his lock picking set. He felt Dean come to stand beside him and briefly glanced at him before lifting the lock pick to the key hole.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Dean's voice was just above a whisper.

"Breaking into the truck," Sam answered as if it should be obvious.

Suddenly set of keys were jingled in front of his face. Sam pulled back and looked at Dean with a confused expression. "Dude, those are the keys to the Impala."

"Dad gave me a spare key to the truck in case of emergencies," Dean stated with a smile, separating his father's key from the Impala's.

Sam couldn't control the look on his face in that moment, looking at Dean like he was a moron. "Why the hell didn't you tell me that before?" he snatched the key out of Dean's hands.

"I almost forgot about it myself." He shrugged. "It's not like I was expecting to find the damn truck after all this time."

"I know." Sam slipped the key into the lock and turned it. The door unlocked with no problems. With one more shared look between the brothers Sam opened the door. The feeling was staggering, even after all this time of the truck being missing, it still had an air of John Winchester about it. It was enough to cause the two remaining Winchesters to pause for a moment.

Dean was the first one to snap out of it. "Sam, we're not gonna have very long before the dude at the booth realises that the call you made to him was phoney. We better get out of here."

"You're right." Sam agreed, handing the key back to Dean.

Dean looked down at the keys in his hand and then back at the truck and then back to Sam. "Open the roller door, Sammy. I'll start her up."

With Sam walking off to get the roller door open Dean climbed up into the cab of the truck and sat down on the leather seat. He shoved the key into the ignition and then placed his hands on the steering wheel. It was surreal. He was sitting in his father's truck. The man had been dead for about a year and a half and now suddenly the truck just turned up out of nowhere. It was odd.

The roller door was opening at a slow pace, much slower than Dean really liked but there wasn't much he could do about that or the noise that it was making.

It was in the middle of the night and the only officer on hand at the Police Impound at gotten a call from 'his superiors' calling him away from the post. Sam had made the call hoping that they could get in and out before the night man got back to his post. It was a good thing too because the roller door was damn noisy when in operation.

Dean started up the truck as soon as the soon as the door was open enough, smiling when she started up without a problem. Closing the door he drove out only stopping long enough for Sam to set the roller door to close and hop up next to him in the passenger seat.

Pulling out of the driveway Dean drove in silence in the direction of the Impala that they had parked in a side street a few blocks away from the Police Impound.

Sam shifted in the seat as he looked around at the interior of the truck. He remembered when his father had first bought the truck. John had handed over the keys to the Impala to Dean for his 16th birthday and therefore needed transportation for himself. Bobby had picked up the Chevy GMC for a decent price and from that point on it was him and Dean in the Impala following their father in his truck around the countryside.

Dean was still having trouble believing that they had found John's truck. His mind was swirling with so many questions that he didn't have answers to. Who'd had the truck this whole time? That question was at the forefront of his mind. They had searched. They'd had Bobby search and keep an eye out for the massive truck. It might have only been a truck but it was a part of his father and to lose that right when they had lost the man himself hadn't helped his mood.

To Dean someone's personal vehicle said a lot about a person. Even for people who didn't pretty much live out of their car like the Winchester's did a car held a part of that person. You could probably tell a lot about a person by what you would find in their car.

Dean eased his foot onto the brake pedal as the side street where the Impala was waiting came into view. Indicating and then turning right into the smaller street the older hunter came to a slow stop behind his car and left the motor running as he turned and looked at Sam.

"So …"

"So you take the Impala and I'll meet you at the apartment complex." Dean answered ignoring the surprised look on his brother's face. The kid was obviously shocked that he was handing over the driving of his beloved car so that he could drive the truck.

"Okay … but no detours okay, straight back to the apartments. And park the truck around the back; we don't need anyone spotting it." Sam opened the door, a little reluctant to part ways with his brother even though he knew there was no way around it.

Dean raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "I think I know what I'm doing, Geek Boy."

"I'm serious."

"Yeah," Dean replied. He nodded slowly. "And so am I. Now get out before I have to kick your ass out." He smirked, letting Sam know that he was joking.

Catching the Impala keys that Dean tossed to him Sam closed the door to the truck and strode over to the black Chevy. He unlocked the door and climbed in.

Dean watched from his seat high up in the truck and waited for Sam to pull out onto the road before he took off, following Sam for a distance before turning off and taking another direction to the run down, abandoned apartment complex they had decided to stay in for the night or however long they were there. It was far enough away from the Police Station for them so that they didn't have to constantly worry about cop's catching them out with the stolen truck but still in the surrounding area. Dean hadn't wanted to move too far out of the area until they'd had a chance to look over the truck and try to work out what to do from there.

The most logical course of action would be to call Bobby and take the truck back to his salvage yard. They would need to call the mechanic and let him know that they had been held up with the hunt anyway but Dean wanted a moment to work things out by themselves first. After all this was their father's truck.

Until finding the storage room full of their father's things they had only had memories and a journal full of John's knowledge on Supernatural evils to remember him by. Dean was anxious to find out what they could find hidden in the depths of the vehicle that had carried his father around for the last 10 years of his life.

xXx

There was one thing that Sam knew for sure. This was the last time he let Dean pick where they squatted. There was a definite suspicious smell coming from somewhere in the depilated building. He could smell it now that he had sat down long enough. It smelt like something had up and died and Sam desperately hoped that he didn't find a dead human body anywhere because that was something they didn't exactly need to deal with.

Scrunching up his nose in disgust at the smell wafting through the room Sam stood up, almost sending the chair he was sitting on flying backwards. Where the hell was Dean?

Walking around the medium sized kitchen with the white peeling pain on the wall he began opening cupboards and draws. He was trying to find what the hell that smell was because he doubted that if either he or Dean would be able to sleep with it.

The sound of the large truck driving up the driveway and then over long weeds and grass was a welcome sound. He hated it when his brother was out there by himself with the chance of something going wrong like the cops finding him or anything in Dean's case. His brother seemed to attract trouble like a moth to a flame.

Picking up two flashlights and his .45 just in case, Sam made his way out the door to greet Dean. When he reached the back door he could see Dean hopping down from the truck and looking his way.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked flippantly.

"Dude, I think something died in there." He hadn't meant for a complaint about the smell to be the first thing he said but it sort of just came out.

Dean frowned. "That bad?"

Sam nodded, a disgusted look coming over his face. He brought his attention to the truck. "I'm going to assume you didn't have any trouble."

"Nope, streets are quiet."

"You wanna do this now or wait until morning?" Sam asked shining his flashlight at the car.

Dean shrugged and smiled. "It _is_ morning, Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes but the effect was lost in the darkness of night. "I'll rephrase … would you like to wait until light?"

Dean shook his head. "I wanna do this now …"

"Dean, it was a long enough drive to get here in the first place. The truck will be here in the morning." Sam tried. They would be able to look over it more thoroughly in the daylight but even in the dark Sam could see the stubborn look on Dean's face.

Dean shook his head again and looked back at the truck, placing on hand on the still open door. "Nah, you go in if you want to Sam. I wanna get this done now."

"Dean …"

"Sam." Interrupting his brother's tirade Dean swung around to meet his Sam's gaze. "You just told me it stinks like death in there. I think I'll stick with the truck … okay?"

"Fine," Sam conceded with a huff.

"Good."

Dean took the flashlight that Sam handed to him and started making his way around to the passenger side and opened the door. The first thing he wanted to do was check the weapons compartment at the back of the truck bed.

The cop hadn't said much to Sam about the condition of the truck other than it was involved in the robbery. There were two possibilities. Either they hadn't searched the car or the weapons stash had already been found and taken by whoever had taken the car. Considering the robbery Dean doubted that the cops would have skipped the search. Still, he had to check just in case. He flicked the flashlight on and reached into the cab and opened the glove box. Inside was a button on the roof of the glove box that activated the secret compartment that held their fathers weaponry. He pushed it in and then stepped back.

Approaching the back of the car he saw Sam standing there waiting for the compartment to slide forward and open.

"Thought you wanted to get some rest?" Dean asked, holding the torch up, shining the light at the back of the truck.

Sam shrugged. "Yeah, well, two eyes are better than one. Besides I think this is something we should both do."

Dean gave him a tight smile. John was Sam's father too and Dean was secretly glad that Sam was there beside him. They had lost so much and when their father had died Dean had realised for the first time how little they had to remember the man. He didn't even have a headstone. John Winchester lived on in people's memories and his journal. But now they had his truck and hopefully they would find some of their fathers stuff hidden in places that the thieves or the cops hadn't been able to find.

As expected, the weapons compartment was completely bare. There wasn't a single weapon left. Their father's whole arsenal was gone.

He heard Sam sigh beside him. "Well so much for that." Dean turned to Sam.

"Well I guess we couldn't have really expected it to still be there."

"Nah, but damn whoever helped themselves probably has enough weapons to fight off a freaking army now." Dean shut the lid and the compartment slid into place.

"Who do you think took it anyway?" Sam asked as he rounded the truck. Placing the end of the flashlight in his mouth to free up his hands Sam used the back tire as a foothold and pulled himself into the truck bed. "You think it was just some random person?"

Dean looked up at Sam from his spot on the ground, his hands on his hips. "I dunno, Sam."

"No-one had seen him for at least a year when he met up with us. Aside from Meg who else knew he was in Lincoln?"

"No-one as far as I know, I guess it could have been just some random stranger." Dean wasn't exactly sure which idea he liked the least, some random person having his father's truck or someone they knew … an enemy or maybe another hunter. "Whoever it is ended up with a lot of fire power."

While Sam was searching out the truck bed Dean lifted himself back up into the driver's seat and sat there simply looking around. There was nothing even remotely personal about the inside of the cab. There was nothing to show their father or the person who had been driving it for the past year and a half. Bringing his light down to shine on the centre console Dean flipped open the lid and as he expected found nothing. He took a breath before next opening the secret compartment where John had always hidden his fake ID's. Dean had hoped against hope that maybe whoever it was hadn't found them but just like everything else it was pretty much bare except for the white envelope sitting in the middle of the compartment.

Dean's first thoughts were that not everything of their fathers had been taken but then the question of why someone would take all of the ID's and leave one envelope behind occurred to him. He cautiously reached in and picked up the envelope. Turning it over in his hand Dean shone his light on it as he heard his brother jump out of the truck bed, his feet hitting the floor with a thud.

Dean raised his eye brows. Their last name was scrawled across the front of the envelope in cursive letters. The writing definitely wasn't John's.

The crunching of boots on gravel made Dean looked up as Sam came to stand beside him next to the open door. "There's nothing back there …" Sam trailed off as he saw the envelope in Dean's hand. "You found something? What is it?"

"I guess we're about to find out." Putting his own flashlight down now that Sam was there shining his down at the envelope Dean quickly opened it. Reaching in, he pulled out the contents to find what looked like a photo and a piece of lined paper.

Dean was met with three smiling faces, their fathers smiling face and he recognised the photo immediately. It was taken by Pastor Jim out the front of his house many, many years ago. He hadn't seen the photo itself in years but he remembered that day. It had only been a few years after their mother had been killed but it was a rare happy moment between the three of them, a rare moment that Pastor Jim had been able to catch.

"Oh wow."

Sam's voice brought him back to the present. Sam was leaning in the open door trying to get a better look at the photo in Dean's hand. It was a picture of the three of them that he hadn't seen. He didn't remember this. "God, I must have been only …"

"You were three years old."

"We look happy there." Sam observed, searching out his brothers face.

"It wasn't all bad, y'know." Dean replied in an irritated tone. "We did have some good times … even back then."

"I didn't mean that …" Sam sighed as he trailed off. "So who took the photo?"

"Pastor Jim."

"You remember that day?" Sam asked. He had come to realise that he relied on his brother a lot to recount memories of events that he just couldn't remember himself. For a lot of the early stuff he had been too young to remember.

Dean nodded. "I haven't seen this photo in years I didn't realise he'd kept it."

Sam understood his brother's surprise. He was still a little surprised that he had found his old soccer trophy in the man's storage room. Apparently their father still liked to keep them on their toes from the great beyond. "What's that?" Sam asked gesturing to the paper in his brother's hand.

Handing the photo to Sam, Dean unfolded the piece of paper. The same cursive writing was on the inside of the note. He didn't know what he had been expecting but this wasn't it.

"Well what does it say?" Sam asked, snatching the note out of Dean's hand when his brother was too slow to respond.

"Dude …" Dean complained but waited for his brother to read the note.

_Enjoying the memories? There's more where this came from. Take a stab at following the clues and claim what's yours …_

TBC ...

* * *

Hope you all liked that :) I PROMISE you all that there WILL be another update before Christmas Day. If I have my way there will be another update before the weekend. I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend :) 

**Now for the Writers Strike Message ...**

_Just wanted to add a note for those fans affected by the strike and desperate  
for it to end. I am including the name of a fabulous site that is supporting  
our writers. This site has a listing of all of our favorite shows. Just pick  
your favorite (Supernatural of course) and type in your e-mail and zip. To  
save time, there is already a letter written to the heads of the networks but  
feel free to personalize. We need to do our bit to help end this strike.  
Please take a few seconds to show your support to the writers. _

_The address is below spaced out ..._

**Http // firedoglake . com / wga / index . php / write / compose**

_In case you haven't heard the negotiations have broken down and we may not  
get any more Supernatural episodes beyond eppy 12 so I'm hoping the fans can  
help out._

The link is also on **heather03nmg's page**. Thank you to her for giving us the heads up with this :) Thanks Girl :)

Tara x0x


	3. The Hunt Is On

**Authors Note: **Hey Guys. As Promised here is a new chapter before christmas day :D I hope you like it :) Special thanks to **Angelustatt** and my **Mum** for reading over it and searching for errors ... any left over are all mine. :)

Also one more note ... I have just recently finished a co-written **Brotherhood** fic with **Lisa aka Angelustatt**. It's a christmas fic called **Deck The Halls With Bodies.** It was great fun and I loved working with her! Thanks Rid for letting us play! It's posted on her page or my supernaturalville page. The link to both is on my profile if you are interested in reading :)

Now onto the story ...

**

* * *

Chapter 3. The Hunt Is On**

Dean knew two things for sure. One … it was obvious to him that their father's truck coming into their lives after all this time was no mistake. He wasn't sure of specifics yet. So far they only had a photo and a rather cryptic note to go by but someone was playing with them and holding their fathers things as the ransom. The only things left in this world outside of that storage room and the boys themselves was being dangled in front of them like a worm on a hook and Dean didn't like it … at all.

The second thing he knew was that Sam was right when he said the inside of the apartment building smelt. It reeked of decay and it was stifling. Sam was right. They weren't going to get much sleep let alone rest on this hell hole but he didn't want to move. He didn't want to go to a Motel, not with the truck having recently been broken out of the Impound and he didn't want to move out too far from where they were. The note had mentioned a clue and he didn't want to miss it. If someone was screwing around with them then he wanted to find out who it was. Sam would probably think he was stupid but he also wanted to try and get their fathers belongings back and the fastest way to do that was to find the mastermind behind this whole charade.

He wasn't really sure what Sam thought of the whole situation because they hadn't really talked about it. The younger hunter had suggested that they get some rest and talk about what they were going to do in the morning but Dean had two problems with that. One … he couldn't stop thinking about the note left in the truck and two … he couldn't relax with that good awful smell.

Dean stood and walked around the room, torch in hand. Sam was being his usual stubborn self and actually trying to sleep. How he was even able to lay there still for so long was beyond Dean but Sam was determined that they get rest. He had told Dean that he had looked through the place thoroughly and had come up empty but that didn't mean Dean couldn't have a look. It was better than lying there all night fruitlessly trying to get sleep that wouldn't come. He could at least be productive.

Walking up the stairs Dean was sure to place his feet carefully as to be as quiet as possible. If Sam was actually managing sleep then he didn't want to disturb him just because sleep escaped him.

Who needed sleep anyway? He was going to be dead in less than a year. He could sleep when he was dead, but there lied the problem. There would be no rest for Dean Winchester when his time came. He would be burning in Hell for eternity. If he was really honest with himself it wasn't even the eternal damnation that was scaring him as much as the thought of the demons using him against the people he cared about like Bobby … like Sam. He had basically sold his soul to save Sam's life. Did that mean they could use him … turn him?

He wasn't sure and he had asked Bobby while Sam had been out of earshot if he had any idea what to expect. The gruff mechanic was an expert on demons but even he hadn't known the answer to Dean's question but he had assured the younger man that he would keep an eye out. He had Bobby searching for him.

Dean suddenly felt sorry for the older hunter. He was family to them. An Uncle. A father figure especially now that there father was gone and now here was he and Sam, one asking him for a saviour and the other badgering him for answers on what would happen to him if they couldn't find and answer to Sam's frantic search. Dean knew how he would have felt had it been Bobby in this position. Hell he knew how he had felt when his father had made the deal for them. It sucked … big time.

The truth was that at the time of the deal Dean hadn't been thinking about how many people his decision would effect. His only concern had been Sam, lying so deathly still on that bed. His only concern had been to bring Sam back because without Sam his life had no meaning. Sam was dead because he had failed in his one most important job. He had been entrusted with his little brother's care and he had screwed up royally and let old yellow eyes win. In Dean's mind there had been only one course of action and his life for Sam's was such a small price to pay. There wasn't even another choice in dean's mind.

It was only now that it was all said and done that Dean was starting to realise that his death would affect others. He could see everyday how much his expiration date was slowly killing Sam. The boy was barely holding it together and dean had the sneaking suspicion that it was an act … an act that was costing Sam. But his brother wasn't the only one that his deal had affected. Bobby's display in the junkyard that day after bringing Sam back had shocked him. He knew that Bobby was working with Sam. He could see it in the older mans eyes how much it was hurting Bobby to think that Dean might not be around the same time next year if they couldn't find something to get him out of his deal. He had realised now that Bobby wasn't just family to them but they were family to Bobby.

He found himself wondering why people only had these revelations when it was too late. He hoped to god that Bobby knew how much the man meant to him. How much he valued his opinion as a hunter but as a person as well. How much he loved him just as much as family. It was something that he hadn't found himself able to talk about with him. How did one start that conversation with someone that was so determined that your fate was not coming to fruition. Bobby was a lot like him. He didn't do chick flick moments and there never seemed to be the right time to bring something like that up. If his time did come up and he did have to leave then he needed to make sure that Bobby knew how grateful he was to be able to leave in the knowledge that Sam at least wouldn't be alone. He wouldn't have his brother but he wouldn't be alone.

Dean shook his head as he made it to the top of the stairs. He didn't know why he was getting all maudlin and introspective all of a sudden. He supposed it was because of Sam's recent little speech about him wanting Dean to be his brother again and added to that their father's truck turning up out of nowhere with secret cryptic notes attached to it. He couldn't afford to be worrying about his deal and all that hallmark crap right now. He needed to stay focused and catch the son of a bitch that was playing games with their father's things and he needed to find the origin of the damn smell threatening to make him vomit.

How the hell was Sam asleep? The kid rarely slept now yet he chose the time they were been stunk out to get some shut eye. Sometimes he didn't think he would ever understand Sam. He was sure part of Sam's sudden need for rest was due to the fact that he wanted to sort through his own thoughts before delving into the next phase in their lives. He and Sam were alike in a lot of ways but they were also different in a lot more ways. Their thought processes differed but they generally always came to the same conclusion in the end … most of the time.

Dean made his way down the hallway, shining the flashlight around not exactly sure what he was looking for but needing to do something. There were a few pieces of broken furniture and some mouldy looking sheets that Dean assumed used to be white but were far from it. He glanced at it disgustingly before moving on down the hall. Why this place hadn't been condemned and bulldozed by now was beyond him because the place was falling apart and a hazard waiting to happen.

The door at the end of the hall was hanging from its hinges and immediately drew Dean's attention. Shining his flashlight into the room Dean squinted in the limited light. There was a rickety old wooden wardrobe across the room from him.

Taking a step into the room Dean's foot was met with nothing but air. His hand whipped out and grabbed the doorframe when he lost balance. His heart rate sped up with the shock and he stood there for a moment clutching the doorframe. Where the hell did the freaking floor go?

Standing back and away from the threshold Dean shone the torch down. His eyes widened at the gaping jagged hole in the floor halfway across the doorway. Dean stared at the hole for a moment once again wondering why this building was still standing. Now that he was standing still and no longer in danger of falling into the abyss Dean noticed that the bad smell that had been invading his senses since entering this god forsaken building was a lot stronger from here. That had to mean something.

The hole in the floor wasn't all that big really so Dean took a couple of steps back and then sped forward and jumped the distance over the hole. He was glad that the floor didn't give way when he landed. The smell in the room was overwhelming, making him cover his nose with the sleeve of his jacket as he studied the room with his flashlight.

The wardrobe was the only piece of furniture in the room making it Dean's obvious target. He stopped halfway there when he thought he heard something. Standing deathly still he waited and listened. He heard the noise again and groaned.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." He complained to himself quietly.

It sounded suspiciously like scurrying of little feet and Dean had a bad feeling that he wasn't going to like what he found when he opened the wardrobe door.

Accepting the inevitable Dean reached out and flipped open the latch holding the doors closed. Yanking open the door, he quickly took large steps back as his not so favourite furry friends came scurrying out around his feet in a flurry of panic and urgency at having been disturbed but the human.

"Get away from me you furry little freak." Dean growled as he back peddled more when one particular rat seemed to be aiming for him. He was mindful of the hole behind him so stepped to the side as the last rat scurried past him and around the hole.

"Fucking rats." He really did hate the disease carrying rodents.

His hand went back to his nose as he moved closer to the wardrobe and shone his light inside of it. The sight that greeted him made him gag a little, his lunch trying to make a re-appearance. Three dead full grown cats lay on the floor on the wardrobe.

Once Dean recovered enough he took in the sight. The cats couldn't have been there long. They had probably been locked up by some kids for fun. He didn't get what people got out of being cruel to animals. Someone had obviously locked the cats in there and whoever it was, was a cruel bastard. There was a small hole in the corner of the wardrobe … where the rats had obviously gotten access.

Glancing over his shoulder and pointing the light at the hole it didn't take much to realise that the smell of the dead felines had obviously been what was wafting in downstairs. Dean shook his head. This was so the last time they squatted for a while. They had lived in some pretty crappy places in his life but at least motels and hotels didn't come with dead animals and rats. He could live with the crappy beds and disturbing dirty carpets at even the worst motels but dead animals is where he was drawing the line.

Gagging again, Dean brought his hand to his mouth and shut the wardrobe again, latching it up. He would worry about the cats later but right now he needed to get out of there before he really did lose his lunch.

Quickly jumping over the whole Dean began walking down the hall. The tap on his shoulder had him jumping and swinging around, arm raised to defend himself.

Sam's amused smile greeted him. His brother held up his hands in surrender as he allowed his brother to calm down. "It's just me."

"God, Sam!" Dean punched his brother in the arm. It was the least he deserved for sneaking him up on him like that. "Give a guy a heart attack, why don't ya?"

Sam chuckled. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

Dean stood back and shook his head. "Oh you didn't scare me," told him waving his flashlight in front of Sam.

"Sure." Sam shrugged. He knew that Dean would never admit the truth anyways. Dean Winchester was fearless and didn't let his little brother sneak up on him. "What are you doing up here anyways?"

"I found your smell … and it wasn't your feet like I first suspected."

Sam rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored Dean's joke. "What was it?"

"Dead cats," Dean answered now pointing his flashlight towards the room he had just exited.

"I knew it was something dead." Sam made a sick face.

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Looks like some jerk or jerks locked them up in a cupboard in there. They probably starved to death. What are you doing up here?"

"You weren't downstairs and you weren't out by the truck. I was just coming to see where you had gotten to."

"Couldn't sleep."

"Me either." Sam admitted.

"Looks like we have some bodies to bury."

Sam looked confused. "What?"

"The cats, Sam," Dean replied as if it should be obvious.

Sam frowned. That was not what he had expected his brother to come up with. Dean had been pretty focused on their dad and the truck and the note since getting that phone call. He was sure Dean was itching to get a move on and find out what the hell was going on. But like he had pointed out to his brother earlier there wasn't much they could do at this time in the morning. "You want to bury the cats?"

"Dude, it's not right to just leave them there and I don't think I'm getting much sleep tonight."

"You're right." Sam nodded. The cats didn't deserve to rot in the prison they had died in. But his brother still amazed him. Dean Winchester, saviour of men and women, children and now animals.

"Of course I am." Dean turned back to continue on down the stairs. "Now let's find something to carry them down. I don't want no cat ghosts haunting my ass." He commented over his shoulder.

Sam shook his head with a rueful smile and followed after his brother. The sooner daylight came the better and putting the poor cats to rest was better than sitting there with his own thoughts running around in his head.

xxXXxx

The cat funeral had been completed with no complications. Dean had found a place near a tree at the rear of the building. After digging a decent size whole they had laid the cats, along with the ratty blanket they had found, inside the grave. Dean of course had gone to the extent of actually salting and burning the bones before covering them back over with earth.

By the time both boys were sitting down outside drinking from bottles of water the first rays of daylight started to show. And Sam had never been so grateful to see the sunrise. He tried not to remind himself that every sunrise they saw Dean had one less to see.

So much time had passed so quickly that Sam was slightly even more worried than when he had first discovered that Dean had made the deal in the first place. They were no closer to finding a way out of the deal or who was holding Dean's contract. As far as things stood at the moment Dean was still going to Hell and Sam couldn't do a damn thing about it. This thing with their fathers truck was just another weight on Sam's back that he didn't need and he couldn't help but wonder what would be the straw that broke him.

Dean stood up and stretched causing his joints to pop. It had been a long night and neither had slept a wink. He's had too many things on is mind to even try and it was obvious just by looking at Sam that the younger man hadn't faired much better.

Burying the cats hadn't been particularly hard work but it had given them something to do to keep their minds occupied while waiting for the new day to start.

"So …" Sam started, standing up next to his brother as the man stifled a yawn. "What do you wanna do about this?" He gestured to the truck.

Dean thought about that question for a moment. The note that had been left hadn't really given them much to work on. It had said _take a stab at following the clues. _It hadn't actually given them any. This much thinking required fuel. Dean needed food.

"We get breakfast." Dean glanced at the truck. He wanted to take the truck with them but he knew it wasn't wise to take it with them to anywhere local. The safest place for it was probably Bobby's but they couldn't leave until they knew what was going on. He wasn't comfortable leaving it at the run down apartment but there was no other choice at the moment. He turned back to Sam. "If we're gonna think about this I need food."

Sam nodded. He could agree with that. After the long night they'd had he could use a coffee and a decent meal himself. "Okay. What about the truck?"

Dean sighed. "I guess we leave it here for now. We'll come back after breakfast and work something out."

The ride to the local diner was quiet, the Impala's radio filling the silence. Both boys were running on auto pilot.

Once seated at a table Sam set his laptop up and waited for it to load up. "So …"

"Dude, my coffee hasn't even come yet." Dean complained, rubbing at his tired eyes.

"I've been wracking my mind all night …" Sam continued despite his brother's complaint. "I've been trying to come up with someone who would want to screw around with us."

"Dude, have you been awake the last few years?" Dean's eyes averted from Sam's as he saw the waitress walking over with their starter order of coffee. "We haven't been the best at making friends." Dean smiled at the waitress but got nothing more than a cursive glance. Apparently they weren't the only people dead on their feet at this time of the morning.

"There you go guys. Your orders won't be long."

Sam waited until she had moved away again before picking up the conversation while his brother practically inhaled his coffee. "I couldn't help but wondering whether this person is and enemy of Dad's or us."

"Why would any enemy of Dad's be tormenting us now? It's not like the old man is around to piss off." Dean let the coffee settle in his stomach. He was feeling better already.

"Detective Ballard didn't know he was dead, neither did Hendrickson. According to the cops he just dropped off the face of the planet." Sam took a sip of his coffee and opened up a web page.

Dean got a sceptic look on his face. "Yeah but they're the cops … what would they know?"

Sam looked at his brother with a tired expression. "I'm just making a point, Dean that maybe not everyone knows what happened to him."

"I guess you could be right but where does that leave us?" He asked in a frustrated tone.

"I dunno …" Sam answered distractedly as he frowned at the computer screen. He was only vaguely aware of the waitress coming back to place their breakfast in front of them and leave again.

Dean dug into his meal, enjoying the taste of the crisp bacon. This was what he needed. He brought a piece of sausage to his mouth but paused just short of eating it. "Dude, I know that look."

Sam pried his eyes away from the computer screen and locked his gaze on his brothers green one. "What?"

"What have you found?" Dean's sausage finished its journey and he chewed as he waited for Sam to explain, savouring the taste.

"It's just this news article. Some guy was stabbed late last night with an ancient Celtic iron tanged fighting knife. It says here the thing probably dates back to 1st century BC."

Dean frowned, chewing slower. That sounded familiar. "Wait … didn't Dad have one of those?"

Sam nodded. He remembered the knife well because he had been there when his father had received it. "Yeah, he got it as a gift from an antique dealer he helped out."

Dean pointed his finger at Sam as the memory came back to him. "That's right. That Irish dude with dead angry ancestor attached to him. That was a bitch of a hunt."

Sam nodded. He remembered it all too clearly. Dean had been hurt on that hunt. Sam had been angry, pissed at John. He had been made to go on the hunt when he'd had an important test to study for. He was sure he was going to fail and grumbling about it when the spirit had caught him unawares. If he had of been paying attention Dean wouldn't have had to jump in front of him and he would have ended up with a concussion and dislocated shoulder for his trouble. Dean had covered for him as usual and the antique dealer had been so thankful for they're help that he bestowed the ancient knife to John. John had kept it in his truck along with his other weapons but in a special case.

"Yeah … it was." Sam agreed.

"Some dude was stabbed with one?"

"Yeah …" something was nagging at Sam. He was missing something. Why did this news article seem important to him somehow?

_Take a stab at following …_

"Dean!" Sam exclaimed, holding out his hand. "Pass me the note."

Dean frowned at the sudden demand but did what he was asked. He watched as Sam seemed to read the note over again a couple of times before looking up to meet his eyes again. "Dean … I think we have our next clue."

"What?"

"The clue says to take a stab at the following clues and then we find out some guy was stabbed by the same type of ancient knife that Dad used to have. What are the odds?"

"I dunno, Sam."

"Think about it, Dean."

Dean didn't want this to be true because this meant that someone else had been hurt … killed even because of them, and whoever the hell was playing games with them. He knew Sam was right. The odds were too great. This game just got a whole lot more serious.

"Where did this happen?" he sighed in resignation.

Sam looked at the article once again and then back up at Dean. "Brookings, South Dakota. It's about four hours from here."

Dean gave Sam a withering smile. "Eat up, Sammy. It looks like the hunt is on."

TBC ...

* * *

Sorry about the wait guys and where I left it and I hope you dont kill me but I am going away camping for at least 4 days starting early boxing day and wont be near technology to be able to post anything. I plan to do some writing while I'm away tho and I hope you stick around to see whats coming :) I'd still love to know what you thought coz reviews are definately good fuel for the muse :P 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Tara x0x


	4. Trash

**Authors Note: **Hey Guys :) I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a exciting New Years celebration. Mine was quiet this year. I was home watching the boys lol Which isnt a total loss of time :P My camping trip went well with all things considered when going away with my dads side of the family. It's never boring lol So now I'm back and have a new chapter ready for you to read if you're still interested after the long break hehe Special thanks to **Angelustatt **and my mother again for the help and I have a second authors note after this chapter for **Heather03nmg** :) It's to do about the news on the writers strike. Thanks for everyones awesome reviews!!!!!!! You make this all worthwhile :) Enjoy the chapter :)

* * *

**Chapter 4. Trash.**

Watching the truck's brake lights come on Sam pressed down on the Impala's brakes himself. It felt wrong driving the Impala by himself when Dean was in front of him in another vehicle, even if that vehicle was their father's truck. That in itself felt strange to Sam. It brought back memories of the last time he had driven the Impala behind the massive GMC. Their father had been behind the wheel of the truck then and Sam remembered feelings of irritation and anger overriding the feelings of relief he'd been having for simply having their father back with them again.

_Sam kept his eyes on the road as he listened to his brother talk to their father on the phone. It was night and they were after vampires. A creature that up until Daniel Elkins death both Sam and Dean had thought didn't exist at all. Their Dad was calling all the shots, telling them only what he thought they needed to know and it was slowly getting old for Sam. Why couldn't the man treat them as equals? He had trained them to be the best hunters they could be and they were now grown men, fully fledged hunters and yet he still treated them like they were children. And what Sam hated the most is that he made him feel like a child as well. It was like he was in some weird flashback of his life before he'd left for Stanford, Dad giving out orders and Dean following blindly._

"_Yeah, Dad. Alright, got it." Dean snapped his phone shut and looked up at Sam. "Pull off at the next exit." _

"_Why?" Sam grated out. All his inner ranting wasn't helping with his temper and he could feel himself falling over the edge as their father issued another order. _

"_Because Dad thinks we've got the vampires trail."_

"_How?"_

_Dean shrugged and looked like he hadn't even thought to ask. "I don't know, he didn't say."_

_Sam ground his teeth together clenching his jaw as evidence of another order issued by their father with no explanations handed to him. He was sick to death of it and in some irrational spontaneous moment of pure bottled up anger Sam pushed his foot down on the accelerator passing their father and slamming on the brakes, cutting off the massive black truck. Both cars were stopped, idling on the road. Sam could see that John was already stepping out of the truck. _

"_Oh crap! Here we go." He heard Dean curse as he opened the door and step out of the car. "Sam!" He ignored his brother's call and met John head on. One look at the man and Sam could tell he was furious._

"_What the hell was that?" John asked getting in Sam's face._

_Sam matched his fathers stance, not backing down at all even in the face of John Winchester. "We need to talk," he stated simply._

"_About what?"_

_Sam almost scoffed. "About everything! Where we goin' dad? What's the big deal about this gun?"_

"_Sammy, come on, we can Q and A after we kill all the vampires." _

_Dean was there standing in the middle of them just like old times but Sam didn't spare him a look this time. Part of him didn't want to see the same look on Dean's face he had seen a million times but part of him was also just too fixated on his father._

_John stepped closer, invading Sam's space. "Your brothers right, we don't have time for this."_

_Sam felt like shouting that yeah of course Dean was right when it suited John but that wasn't what came out. "Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous to be together. Now out of the blue you need our help. Now obviously something big is goin' down and we wanna know what."_

"_Get back in the car."_

"_No." He was stepping over that line now. He was out rightly defying one of his father's orders. He didn't feel bad about it. He was twenty two years old. What right did that man have to tell him what to do anymore? Saying no felt good. The look of surprise, expertly hidden, on his fathers face was even better._

_John took another menacing step forward. "I said get back in the damn car."_

_Sam held his ground, a determined angry look coming over his face "Yeah." He agreed confidently. "And I said no."_

_John stared him down for the longest time like he was testing how long it would take before Sam would break and become the good little soldier. It wasn't happening. Not this time._

_Suddenly the spell was broken when he felt his brother's hands pulling at his arm, trying to push him back and away from their father. "Alright, you made your point, tough guy. Look we're all tired. We can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on." He allowed himself to be pushed back towards the car._

"_This was why I left in the first place," he muttered under his breath as he turned around to face the car._

"_What'd you say?" John's voice held more than just confidence superiority in it. It sounded like the comment had struck a cord with his old man and Sam was all too happy to turn around and delve into this issue. The wounds were still fresh for him … even after all this time._

_He shrugged away from Dean and faced his father once again. "You heard me."_

"_Yeah," John agreed walking forward again meeting Sam head on and pointing his finger at Dean as he grabbed at Sam's shirt. "You left. Your brother and me, we needed you. You walked away, Sam! You walked away!"_

_Dean was there again but he was too busy locking horns with his father. "Stop it, both of you!" _

_He felt a little sorry. He knew that his brother hated it when they fought but he couldn't stop himself. The subject that had been troubling him since that fateful night he left for Stanford was being brought into the light. "You were the one who said 'don't come back', Dad! You're the one that closed that door, not me! You were just pissed off you couldn't control me anymore!" He was yelling now. Angry puffs of cold night air escaping from his lips._

_Dean's hands were on him again. In fact it was like Dean was trying to wedge his body in between the two waring Winchesters. "Alright, stop it, stop it – stop it! That's enough …."_

Dean's voice faded out and Sam jumped back into the present. He cursed when he nearly missed Dean turning into the Brookings Hospital car park. He didn't like this separate cars thing. It was in the car that he and Dean talked and theorised about the hunt. It was where they did most of their discussions and tried to work out what was going on. Sometimes they would go over and over it, throwing out each others theories until they came to one that sounded the most credible. It meant that by the time they reached their destination they were prepared for whatever the hunt threw at them.

They had spoken about the clues a little on the way back to the apartments to collect the truck but having two vehicles was interrupting their normal rhythm. It was a rhythm that worked for them and Sam didn't want that to change.

Following the truck through the car park he realised that he needed to be looking for a car park for the Impala. Two spaces down from where Dean parked the truck Sam found a vacant spot and eased the Impala into it.

Seeing Dean getting out of their fathers truck was still strange. Sam still on some level expected John Winchester to step out of it with a confident expression on his face and the body language telling everyone around him that he had everything under control. Sam could admit to himself now that as much as the man infuriated him majority of the time, he couldn't say that he didn't miss him. He missed his father like crazy every day. It was different to when he had been missing for that year. Even though he hadn't been around he had always known that John was out there somewhere, even if he never answered phone calls.

Everything about the man had always made him feel safe. Yes, when they were kids Sam had gone to Dean for pretty much everything but if there was anything that was beyond his brother then he had always known that Dad would know what to do. He had relied on that. He had relied on that in the Hospital when he had learnt that a reaper was after his brother. The moment he had found out the trouble Dean had been in he had gone in search of his father only to find his room empty and his father nowhere to be found … if only he had of known what the older hunter had been up to. The problem with that scenario was that Sam wasn't sure he liked the alternate version. What would have happened if their Dad hadn't made that deal? He hadn't been able to help Dean himself. Would Dean have survived? The thought that he could be without his brother was stifling … the thought that this time next year he would be standing there alone was crippling.

If it wasn't his father making deals it was his brother and where did that leave him … in the end it left him the last standing Winchester and to him that thought was sickening. Their father had been released from Hell so now the only thing that was important was saving Dean from the deal. It wasn't something he couldn't afford to fail.

"Hey, Sammy," Dean greeted as he looked behind Sam to the Impala, trying to be inconspicuous about checking her over.

Dean's assessment over the Impala seemed satisfactory and Sam noticed that his brother's eyes were now raking over him, studying him. "What?"

"You okay?" He twirled the keys around in his hands as he waited for Sam to answer, ready to judge whether Sam was telling him the truth or not. Dean's first thoughts were always of him and Sam wished that just sometimes Dean would put himself first. It's what got them into this stupid deal problem in the first place.

"I'm fine."

Sam didn't know why Dean asked that question so often when he probably didn't want the real answer anyway. The answer to that question was so loaded with emotional baggage that Sam was sure Dean would freak if it was ever actually opened properly. Caring and sharing and chick flick moments were never Dean's things but lately talking about their feelings was even more awkward.

With Dean's deal hanging over his head Sam was afraid he was falling apart the closer they got to the expiration date. Dean was scared and Sam had called him on it but Dean still wasn't the type to show that particular emotion, especially not when he had in his head that it would burden his little brother. In Sam's point of view it was a waste of energy trying to hide the fear that was quite obviously festering because Sam knew that when he paid attention he could read his brother like a book.

Dean looked at Sam sceptically for a moment but didn't contradict Sam's reply that he was fine.

"So …" Sam began. "What's the plan?"

"We talk to the victim and see if he can't give us any clue as to who did this to him." Dean explained as they walked side by side through the parking lot. "I wanna get that knife back too."

Sam stopped short, causing Dean to also stop. The older brother turned with a 'what?' expression on his face. Sam stared at him for a moment like he had lost his mind.

"Dean, the cops will have the knife." Sam stated slowly.

"I know that, Sam."

"So what … you just wanna walk in there and take it? Dude, you're on America's most wanted list. Hell after Hendrickson we both have impressive files."

"It was Dad's knife, Sam. I want it back." Dean stood, his gaze unflinching.

Sam let out an annoyed huff of air. He wanted their fathers belongings back as much as Dean but he didn't think that announcing themselves to the cops was the smartest thing to do. They had already taken the risk breaking the truck out of the impound.

"Look." Sam shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Let's just talk to this guy and talk about the knife after."

"Fine!" Dean snapped irritably.

"Fine," Sam snapped in retaliation to Dean's annoyance.

They walked the remaining distance to the building in silence. Sam didn't even know why he was snapping at Dean. He could understand his brother's motives but Sam had a bad feeling about where all of this was headed. They still hadn't called Bobby but Sam was thinking that he was going to when they were finished at the hospital. Other than common courtesy Sam thought he could use another set of ears to talk things through to.

Once inside both boys approached the reception desk, Dean flashing the young woman behind it one of his charming smiles and flashing her one of their many fake ID's. Sam watched his brother work. Everything seemed to come naturally to Dean, like he was born for this type of life and Sam briefly wondered what his brother would have done for a living had their lives not been screwed to hell. According to the dream Dean had been stuck in when he'd been attacked by the Djinn he had worked in a garage. Sam could see his brother making a living out of working on cars and just like hunting in this life, being a mechanic was still following in their fathers footsteps. Sam found himself wondering whether it was Dean's knowledge of their real life that had his dream manifest following their father into the mechanic business or whether if he would have had other interests had their lives not turned out like they had. He supposed he would never know because Dean never talked about the things that he wanted for himself. Sam had been given the chance to try out a normal life away from hunting and he knew that he had Dean to thank for even knowing what normal was. It saddened him that aside from those first four years before the demon Dean hadn't had the chance to try anything outside of this life.

Dean glanced at his brother while the women at the desk check what room the victim, Justin Kennedy, was in. Sam held a wistful expression and Dean briefly wondered what it was his brother was thinking about before deciding that considering his own thought of late he probably could do without knowing what was going through the younger hunter's freaky head.

"Mr. Kennedy is in room 204, on the fourth floor … Sir?"

"Huh?" Dean looked back to the young women behind the desk. "Oh, right. Thanks for your help." Smiling once more at her Dean then turned to his brother and nudged him with his shoulder. "Come on."

"Right." Sam moved forward following his brother to the elevator. It was a short ride up and before long both boys were standing in front of Justin's room.

Dean turned and raised an eyebrow at his brother. "After you, Detective Munch," he said with a sweep of his hands towards the door.

Right there and then Sam decided that it was time he took his brothers ID naming privileges off him. With annoyed huff Sam entered the room with a neutral face. Scaring the victim would not be the best way to get what they wanted out of him. He just hoped that Justin Kennedy wasn't a Law and Order fan.

Justin Kennedy was a tall wiry young man, Sam's age with short light brown hair and blue eyes. He looked like one of those shy kinds of guys that only showed his true personality around his friends … or at least people he knew. The kid looked tired but looked up when the boys walked in. He studied both Winchesters with a suspicious look.

"Mr. Kennedy, I'm Detective Munch and this is Detective Page. We'd like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind."

"Your police?"

"State Police," Dean agreed. "We've been called in to help the local police to help catch the person who attacked you. It's really best if we get the information straight from you rather than police reports."

That seemed to make sense to the younger man and he relaxed a bit. "Okay, if you think it will help."

"Do you remember anything about your attacker?" Sam asked, bringing out his small notepad and pen. "Anything helps, Mr. Kennedy."

"Justin."

"Justin." Sam nodded, urging him to continue.

Justin frowned as he tried to bring back the memories. "I … um … I had been out with some friends at the local bar, just having some drinks, playing some pool, ya know?" he paused, licking his lips and then continued. "This dark haired chick came up to me. She was real friendly … like real friendly if ya know what I mean."

Dean nodded and winked. "Yeah, I think we get the picture. What happened?"

"Well she wanted to get some fresh air and insisted I came outside with her. It's not like I was gonna turn that down. Anyways we go for a walk around the back of the place near an alley. I didn't think much of it at the time but she started saying some weird stuff."

Sam glanced at Dean and then looked back at Justin. "Like what?"

"Like … that it was a shame that she couldn't keep me. That I was just a sacrifice for a greater plan." Justin's face turned into a frown like he just wanted to forget the whole thing had happened. "I was going to be the messenger."

"What was the message?" The more this kid spoke the more intense Dean's gaze got. All joking was put aside as it got more obvious that they were on the right trail.

"That's just it. She never gave me a message. Next thing I know is this stabbing pain in my gut. The bitch stabbed me with some crusty old knife. I don't remember much after that." Justin's hand came to land over his stomach where the knife wound was stitched and bandaged.

"Can you remember what she looked like?"

Justin closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. "I remember she was hot, wavy dark hair, tight little outfit …"

"Anything more descriptive?" Sam asked rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Sorry, man, that's all I remember."

"That's okay," Sam encouraged. "Is there anything else you remember about the incident?"

Justin shook his head slowly. "Sorry."

"So there's nothing else?" Dean asked a little more harshly than he intended but the sudden stop of information was not what he wanted to hear.

"Dean…" Sam warned quietly. He was used to his brother not being the most diplomatic person. "Justin is there anything else, even if it doesn't seem important."

"No." he shook his head.

For a moment Sam thought that they were going to walk away with not much to go on until Justin's expression told him that he was thinking. "What is it, Justin?"

"Well I saw her throw something into the dumpster before she left but I didn't really think anything of it … I mean I was kind of worried about other things at the time, dude .. I … uh … I mean Detective."

"She threw something in the dumpster?" Dean asked to make sure they were clear. It could have been nothing but maybe it was something.

"Yeah … I'm sure of it … I think."

Sam tried to ignore his brother's eye roll at Justin's vagueness. "That's fine, Justin, thanks for all your help."

"Hope I was some help." Justin smiled uncomfortably as he shifted in the bed and it was obvious that his energy reserves were running out.

"You've been a great help," Sam assured. "Just one last thing though. What's the address to this bar?"

xXx

"The bar owner said that they don't collect the trash until tomorrow so whatever that woman threw in here must still be in there."

"Terrific." Dean complained. "Just what I love doing … wading through trash." He stopped in front of the green dumpsters in the alley behind the bar and stared at it in distaste.

Sam came to stand next to his brother and then walked around him to look for handholds to pull himself up. "The faster we find whatever it is where looking for the faster this will be over."

Dean watched as Sam pulled himself up onto the side of the dumpster and opened the lid with a groan. His shaggy head whipped back at the smell that wafted up from inside. "Oh that's … that's just all kinds of wrong." He brought his free hand out to cover his nose, trying to block out the smell.

"Man …" Dean whined from his position on the still on the ground.

Sam rolled his eyes and looked down at Dean. "Dude, I'm not doing this alone. If we do this together it will get done faster."

Dean frowned, the displeasure on his face clearly showing. "Why do we both have to smell like crap?"

"Because."

"Because?" Dean asked, grumbling as he waited for Sam to take the plunge and jump over and into the dumpster before latching onto the side and pulling himself up.

"Yeah … Oh God, this is ripe." One hand was permanently fixed over his nose as he began sifting through rubbish.

Dean stayed fixed to the side of the bin as he watched his brother search through the rubbish. He kept trying to convince himself to join Sam in the dumpster but the side of him that really didn't want to was convincing him that the dumpster wasn't big enough for two people, especially when someone of his brothers size was already standing in it. In truth that was probably a correct assessment. Sam was too busy searching to realise that he was doing all the work and Dean was willing to keep quiet. Dean had learnt long ago that if you distracted Sam or told him he couldn't do something that he would go and do it only realising afterwards that Dean had gotten out of his share of the work.

"I don't even know what the hell I'm looking for," Sam grumbled from behind his shirt sleeve.

"I have a feeling we'll know when we see it," Dean replied. He looked sheepishly at Sam when the younger man looked up for the briefest of moments to glare.

"We?" Sam huffed, trying to take a breather away from the stench. It didn't matter where he stood in the dumpster the smell was stifling and he really wanted to smack his brother in the head at that moment. "I don't see any _we_ in this operation, Dean."

Dean raised a brow. "You might not see it but I think I might smell it around here somewhere."

Sam's glare intensified. "Shut up before I haul you in here with me."

"Nah … that's a little too Star Wars for me."

Sam once again stopped what he was doing and looked at his brother quizzically. "How on earth does standing in a dumpster remind you of Star Wars?" He didn't think he would ever fully understand how Dean's mind worked. He was quite sure that Dean had a movie reference for everything.

"A New Hope?" Dean waited to see if his brother was grasping his reference at all but as usual it went right over Sam's head. He had at least hoped he would be safe with Star Wars. "You're hopeless … Han, Luke and Leia in the garbage disposal? Ringing any bells, garbage boy?"

Sam rolled his eyes and kept searching around as he replied. "And you would be?"

"Han Solo of course."

"So what, I'm Luke in your twisted little version of this?"

"Nah you're more like Leia. You always have been a princess." Dean ducked when some rotten fruit sailed towards his head. He let go of the sides of the dumpster and jumped down so that if anymore air born fruit decided to come his way he would be out of reach. "You're always so hostile, Sammy," Dean said, shaking his head in amusement.

Sam didn't bother standing up or answering his brother because it would only mean that he would have to stand longer in this small dumpster, probably inhaling toxic fumes for all he knew. How exactly had he ended up the one in the dumpster in the first place? After all of this was said and done he was going to get Dean back for this. Sam continued to grumble under his breath, hand still covering his nose. He was about to give up and come up for air and maybe send Dean in his wake but in his search his hand came across something rough, almost like the material of a duffle. Pushing away rubbish and something suspiciously wet the object came into view. It was an army duffle bag. With out looking, he already knew that he had found what they were looking for. He picked it up. It was light enough, indicating that there wasn't much inside it. Without a second thought Sam through it over and out of the dumpster, hearing it land with a slight thump followed by Dean's disgruntled yell.

Dean glared at the dumpster but then brought his focus to the small green army duffle at his feet. "What have we got here?" he muttered to himself as he used the tips of his fingers to lift the bag slightly. A dark green sewn on patch came into view as the material straightened out. "I think we found it, Sammy." Dean proclaimed as he heard Sam drop to the ground and walk over. He pointed to the name patch that was proudly displaying the name Winchester.

TBC ….

* * *

Thank you for reading and sticking with me :) I really hope you enjoyed it! Let me know and I do my best to get the next chapter up soon :) 

Below are the addresses if you want to express you feelings to either Dawn or Eric about our show! I really believe that it's getting to a point where we are gonna start to need to fight for our boys again ... or maybe we should just incase. I'm not sure but all I do know is that I am extremely worried.

**Dawn Ostroff**  
President of Entertainment  
The CW Network 411 North Hollywood Way  
Burbank , California 91505 USA

**Eric Kripke**  
9465 Wilshire Blvd  
Suite 880  
Beverly Hills , California 90212 USA

**Message from Heather ... thanks girl :)...**

_LOS ANGELES -- The CW has announced its post-strike schedule, which as  
expected includes new seasons of "Pussycat Dolls Present," "Beauty and the  
Geek" and "America's Next Top Model."Said seasons will anchor the netlet's Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday lineups,  
respectively.In addition, new time periods have also been set for "Gossip Girl" (Mondays  
at 8:00/7:00c starting January 28) and its comedy quartet (Sundays at  
8:00/7:00c starting February 10).Furthermore, "Reaper" will return to the schedule on Tuesday, January 15 at  
8:00/7:00c before sliding to Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c on February 28.  
("Supernatural" will have completed airing its first-run episodes by said  
date.)To review, here's a complete breakdown of the aforementioned plans:  
Mondays  
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Gossip Girl" (Beginning January 28)  
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious" (Beginning February 18)Tuesdays  
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Reaper" (Beginning January 15)  
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Beauty and the Geek" (Beginning March 11)  
9:00-10:00 p.m. "One Tree Hill"Wednesdays (Beginning February 20)  
8:00-10:00 p.m. "America's Next Top Model"  
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious" (Encores) _

Thursdays  
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Smallville"  
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Reaper" (Beginning February 28)Sundays (Beginning February 10)  
7:00-7:30 p.m. "CW Now"  
7:30-8:00 p.m. "Everybody Hates Chris" (Encores)  
8:00-8:30 p.m. "Everybody Hates Chris"  
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Aliens in America"  
9:00-9:30 p.m. "Girlfriends"  
9:30-10:00 p.m. "The Game"  
An official press release confirming said changes is expected to be put out  
on Monday.We haven't been canceled yet but the fact that they've not announced a time  
spot for our show does not bode well. Supposedly this is just the new  
schedule for the duration of the writers strike but than why does Smallville  
get to keep its spot and we have nothing?  
So start writing your letters ladies, tell the networks and Dawn O. how much  
you hate this new schedule. We need our show on, even if its just reruns until  
next season! 


	5. The Tomb

**Authors Note: **I feel I really need to apologise for the long wait! Sorry guys. I had this chapter ready days ago but then after re-reading it I found I wasnt happy with it and changed a few things. I hope you still remain interested :) Thanks to **Angelustatt** and my mother once again, and to all of you for your patience.**

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**

**Chapter 5. The Tomb**

_Dad was almost late again. It was nothing new and Sam should have expected by now. Hunting always came before anything else, especially as they had gotten older. Sam was fourteen now and starting to realise that the hunting life wasn't what he wanted. It seemed to be enough for his Dad and Dean but Sam wanted more. He wanted more than having to live in fear that he, Dean or their father would be hurt. He hated it. He wasn't entirely sure what was worse, waiting for Dad and Dean to come from a hunt or now going on the hunts with them. They saved lives as Dean pointed out. They were living everyone wildest dreams, they were doing the jobs of super heroes. There was only one problem with that for Sam. They weren't super heroes. They could be hurt or killed just like anyone else and if not hunting meant that Dean and Dad would be safe then Sam could live with that. Apparently their father couldn't. Their mother's killer was still out there._

"_He said he would be here, Sammy," Dean said from his perch on the chair. The eighteen year old hadn't gone on the hunt with John because of a healing injury. _

"_I know, Dean."_

"_Then why are you sitting there all … sulky?"_

"_Because what makes this time any different from any other time he has been late?" _

_Sam hadn't wanted to make a big deal about it. It was only Fathers Day. But as always Dean had been stubborn about getting their father something and even though they hadn't been on the best of terms lately Sam had gone along with his brother and he was happy with what they had gotten him. Dean had let him pick. He looked over at the package sitting on top of one of the many stacks of books littered around Bobby's house. Inside the packaging was a large silver flask with John's initial's carved into it. It wasn't much but their father had lost his good flask on their last hunt. It had been one of the things that hadn't been burnt in the fire and John had been pissed when he had realised that it was gone. This flask wouldn't replace what the old one meant but Sam hoped it might have a whole other meaning because … it was from them._

_Dean looked like he was trying to come up with a valid answer, one that would appease his little brother. "Look, he'll be here okay." Dean shrugged and looked back down at one of Bobby's books he had been reading. "Besides … Bobby's with him."_

_Sam walked away from the window and sat down on the couch. "I guess."_

"_Good now stop pouting, Samantha."_

"_Shut up, Dickhead."_

_Dean poked his tongue out at the younger boy causing Sam to roll his eyes. Turning eighteen had not helped his brother grow up. Dean stood up with a wince and limped towards the door._

"_Where are you going?"_

"_Outside," he answered, stopping to glance at Sam. "I need some air and there is a certain Shelby out there that could use some of my attention. It's a beauty, Sammy." Dean sighed like he was in love._

_Sam snorted. "Won't the Impala get jealous?"_

_Dean shook his head and pointed at Sam. "The Impala will always be my baby BUT Bobby said I could tinker with it if I wanted and you can't turn down a Shelby, Sammy."_

"_It's just a car, Dean." Sam laughed, leaning back against the couch and crossing his arms over his chest._

"_Dude! Do you know nothing about cars?" He asked incredulously. "It's a Shelby GT 500. It's special enough to go in Bobby's garage and not in the junk yard with the rest of the crap. You should be so lucky to work on a car like her."_

"_I'm so going to tell the Impala."_

"_You do and you can ride with Dad for the next two hundred miles." Dean responded with a smirk and turned for the door again._

_Sam looked horrified for a moment at the thought of having to spend such a long time in the car with his father by himself. Buying the man a Fathers Day gift was one thing but spending that amount of time alone with him was something else entirely. Sam seemed to piss him off in a room full of people, let alone by themselves without Dean as a buffer. "Dean …"_

_Dean turned around with an amused look on his face. "What?"_

"_You're not supposed to be walking around on that leg."_

"_Are you gonna tell?" Dean raised an eyebrow but his attention was diverted from his brother when he heard their father's truck pull into the yard. "Dad and Bobby are back," he stated needlessly. _

_Despite Dean being so carefree and relaxed on the outside about being left behind on this hunt, Sam could see in his brother's eyes how worried he was especially now that their father and Bobby were back. They were always worried about him until they saw him walk in relatively unharmed, and Dean hated relinquishing watching his fathers back even if it was to someone he trusted like Bobby._

_Sam suddenly remembered the rules Dad had left them with and shot his brother a look. "Dean," he hissed. "You're not supposed to be walking on your leg." He reminded his brother._

_John had given him strict orders to stay off the leg while he was gone but Dean wasn't one to be able sit still for very long so it was one order that he hadn't obeyed to its fullest. That didn't mean that he wanted to get caught standing either. Dean quickly hobbled back over to the chair he had been sitting on and winked at Sam. "See I told you Dad would be here."_

_Sam smiled back, wider than he had in months. Some part of him that hadn't escaped that childhood need to see his father wanted to rush out there and greet him but he refrained from it. He opened the door when he heard footsteps and talking and smiled at the two men as they entered Bobby's home. _

"_Hey Dad," Sam greeted. "Bobby."_

"_Hey Sam, you keep your brother out of trouble while we were gone?" John asked. He looked relieved to be back and even more relieved as he looked at both his sons, they both had smiles plastered on their faces._

"_Of course," Sam responded. He followed both men into the room and watched as John greeted Dean. Bobby walked passed him and ruffled his hair causing Sam to duck out of the way._

"_I don't know how you put up with your Daddy, Sam. He's a royal pain in the ass."_

_Sam laughed. "You don't have to live with him … all the time." He joked, glancing at Dean. He looked back up at his father and saw that for once he looked completely unscathed. "Did you get it?"_

_John nodded. "No thanks to Bobby …"_

"_How was that my fault?"_

"_Well it sure as hell wasn't mine, Singer."_

"_I think next time I'll take Dean with me." Bobby rolled his eyes but Sam could see the humour twinkling in them. It looked to Sam like John and Bobby had actually had a good time and he couldn't wait to hear the story behind this latest adventure even if it was probably going to be over exaggerated on both men's parts. It was no wonder where Dean got that certain trait from. But all of that could be put to the side for now because it was Father's Day and Dad had come home when he'd promised and they were all happy._

_Sam walked over to where he had left the present and picked it up. Turning it over in his hands and smiling Sam turned back around and handed it over to his father. "Happy Fathers Day, Dad." Sam stated and waited for John to take the package from him. "It's from Dean and me."_

"_Sam picked it out," Dean added, sitting up straighter to see his father open the present._

_John looked at both boys for a moment, just holding the present in his hands. Sam couldn't work out what was in his fathers eyes, but the man looked both sad and happy. Sam knew one thing. This moment here was better than all the arguing. He wished they could stay like this forever. "Open it, Dad."_

"_Yeah … open it, Dad," Bobby mimicked, winking at Sam when the boy looked at him. Sam laughed._

"_Okay." John dove into the packaging and that sad but happy look was back as he looked at the flask. It wasn't much but the reaction they got out of their father was more than enough. "We know it's not the one you lost, Dad but we thought you might like a new one." Sam told him, watching his father's face intently. _

_John looked up and smiled at Sam, then down at Dean and then back at Sam again. "This is awesome, boys. I don't know what to say."_

"_Thank you would be a good start," Bobby quipped. _

_John gave him a long suffering sigh but smiled and nodded. "Thanks boys." John ruffled Dean's hair and then pulled Sam forward into a hug that lasted just that little bit longer._

Sam held the flask in his hand, turning it over and studying the Fathers Day present. It was still shiny but had a few scratches on its silver surface through wear and tear over the years. Sam hadn't seen the flask in so long that he hadn't even known whether their father had still had it. Seeing it had brought back the memory of that day so vividly he could remember it in startling colour. It reminded him that not all his memories of his childhood were bad. Their father hadn't always been a drill sergeant, they'd had good friends like Bobby and others. There were some good times amongst the bad ones.

This whole thing was making Sam angry. These walks down memory lane were affecting both him and Dean but the problem was that Dean wasn't thinking straight, not straight enough for Sam's liking.

Dean wouldn't listen and he wouldn't stop. Sam wanted to slow down a bit and clear his head. He wanted to think about this and not run head long into what was going to be a trap. They needed to be careful. But with their Dad's things being dangled in front of them it was like a worm on a hook and Dean was the fish. There were two things that Dean was always very serious about, family and hunting. He didn't like people messing around with their father's things. Neither did Sam but the younger man had a very bad feeling that things were going to get worse and he didn't want Dean to get hurt. Not to mention that this sick version of the Amazing Race was taking time away from Sam's research. Dean's time was running out a lot quicker than he thought it would. Time was flying and with each minute Dean was getting closer to death and hellfire. He didn't need Dean running head on into trouble and getting himself killed ahead of schedule.

The door to the motel room opened and Sam stood up and met his brothers annoyed gaze. Dean through the paper bag at him and sat down on one of the beds with his own meal. "Happy now?"

"No." The flask was placed on the bed and Sam took the burger and fries out of the bag. "I'm far from happy."

Dean growled, ignoring the bag with his own food in it and taking a piece of paper and a key out of his jacket pocket. "What do you think this means?"

"I dunno, Dean."

"Well we need to find out."

"What about Dad's knife?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Oh I haven't forgotten about that," Dean assured. "We get the knife and then we follow this next clue."

Sam placed his burger back on the packaging and shook his head determinedly. "I don't think we should."

Dean's head whipped up from the note in his hands. "It's Dad's, Sam." He frowned at his brother like he had said something untasteful. "I'm not leaving it behind. Whoever is behind this isn't just screwing with us, Sam; they're screwing with Dad …"

"That's my whole point, Dean! We're doing exactly what they want."

"So what do you want to do then? Just sit here and do nothing?" Dean snapped back. "Read some more of those books?"

"I want to sit and think this through. I want to call Bobby and let him know. We don't have to do this alone."

Dean stared at his brothers imploring eyes. He stood up and shook his head. "Don't you think Bobby has put up with enough shit from us, Dude?"

"Probably." Sam shrugged and followed Dean's move to the window with his eyes. "But he wouldn't be there for us if he didn't want to. We could use his help with this."

"I would rather handle this ourselves."

"We need to call him anyway. We need to tell him that we aren't working that other job."

"Sam …"

The sound of a phone ringing cut off Dean's next words and he patiently waited for Sam to answer his phone. He looked down at the key and turned it over in his hands. He didn't know what the key meant or what it was for. The note had been driving him nuts since the alley. He opened the paper again as he vaguely heard Sam talking on his phone in the background. He read it over in his head for what felt like the thousandth time.

_All this is making me hungry. Feel like a cook out? McCook. There's a tomb with your name on it. Find it and I'll get the fire going._

What now this psychopath wanted to cook for them? Or maybe they were the meal and that thought was slightly disturbing. He wanted to leave now but Sam had nagged and convinced him to stop and take a breather, get something to eat and obviously try to convince him to call in back up. It wasn't that Dean didn't appreciate Bobby's help. He valued Bobby's presence in their lives more than anyone could know but Dean didn't want Bobby becoming another casualty for knowing the Winchesters, Pastor Jim and Caleb had already paid for that. Aside from that very important detail Dean also felt like this was something that they should handle themselves. This was their fathers stuff. Dean wanted to handle this. He wanted to meet the person trying to screw with their heads and teach them a very valuable lesson. You don't mess with a Winchester.

The flask had brought back memories for both of them and Dean was glad that it had reminded Sam of the good times. It wasn't a myth; their lives hadn't been all terrible. John _had_ been a father. They _had_ been a family. That was what he was protecting now.

"Dean." Sam's voice had Dean looking up with a quizzical look. Sam handed his phone to him. "Bobby wants to talk to you."

Dean frowned but took the phone and placed it to his ear. "Bobby?" He purposely made his voice light although he got the impression even before the other man spoke that the jig was up.

"_What are you thinking, Dean?"_ Bobby's annoyed voice came across the line clear as a bell. _"Are you a complete idjit?"_

"What?"

"_Don't 'what' me, son."_ Dean glared at Sam who had sat back down to continue his meal. _"Walking into some cop station is not my idea of smart thinking, Dean."_

"I haven't done it yet," he answered indignantly.

"_You're not going to either."_

"It might be just a knife to you, Bobby, but I'm not leaving it there."

"_Would you get off ya damn high horse?"_ Bobby grumbled. _"I'm coming to Brookings. I'm going to get the freakin' knife from the cops. You can just keep away."_

"Bobby …"

"_It's not negotiable, Dean. Get over it."_

Dean took a breath and glared some more at Sam. He sighed and turned to face the window again, bringing a hand up to the back of his neck. "Fine, but I'm not sticking around. I wanna go after this psycho."

"_Dean …"_

"Bobby. Don't fight me on this."

"_This is a trap."_

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know that and I think I have been hunting long enough to know how to avoid it."

"_Don't get smart with me, boy. If you're not going to wait for me would you at least promise that you will be careful?"_

Dean smirked, earning a cautious look from Sam. "I'm always careful, Bobby."

He could hear Bobby's sigh over the phone. _"I'm serious."_

"I know and I promise. We'll be good boys."

Bobby snorted. _"That'll be the day."_

"Thanks Bobby … for going after the knife."

"_I'll call you when I have it and then I'm meeting you …"_

"Bobby …"

"_Again, it's not negotiable and you better damn well answer your phone, son. Don't even think about pushing me away because it aint happening. Do you understand me?"_

"Yes Sir." Dean nodded although Bobby couldn't see him from the other side of the phone.

"_Good. Now go and get some food into ya before you collapse and Sam has to carry your heavy ass."_

"You're all heart, man." Dean snickered.

"_Be careful, Dean … you and Sam."_

"See you soon." Dean ended the call and threw Sam's phone back to him. He shook his head, walking back to his bed where his food was waiting for him. "Unbelievable."

"What?"

"And you say that I haven't grown up."

"What?" Sam laughed a little.

"Dude, you full on told on me to Bobby. How old are you?"

Sam shrugged. "Whatever works to keep you inline, Dude."

Flipping his brother the bird, Dean sat down. For once he actually wasn't all that hungry. He couldn't keep his mind off the case. He kept repeating the clue over and over in his mind but kept drawing a blank to what it could have meant. Sam was looking at him, waiting for him to sit down and eat and Dean knew that he would sit there all day if he had to and stare Dean down until he ate something. It was strange because usually Sam had to stop Dean eating himself into a coma.

"So …" he tried again. "What do you think it means?" He pulled out his own burger and stuck a few fries in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

Sam swallowed his mouthful. "Pass me the note."

Dean leant as far as e could over his bed without getting up and threw the small piece of paper the remaining distance. It just landed on the edge of Sam's bed. The younger Winchester picked it up and studied it. "Well …" he began. "It says McCook…"

"It also says that that he …"

"Or she." Sam corrected. "Justin said it was a woman that stabbed him."

"Right well he … or she said she was hungry. So what … does McCook mean go to McDonalds?"

"McCook is a city, Dean, in Nebraska I think." Sam studied the note. It was getting frustrating because none of the notes mentioned anything personal, nothing to give them the slightest hint as to why this person was playing with them. Sam didn't feel comfortable just following blindly. He was sick of being in the dark. "Hey Dean," Sam asked, putting his food down.

"Yeah?"

"Does that woman Justin spoke about ring any bells? I mean I have been trying to think of anyone we have run into and I'm drawing a blank."

Dean leaned back against the headboard with his food. He met Sam's gaze and shrugged. "I dunno, man. We've been hunting for so long and met so many people; made our fair share of enemies … she's not sounding familiar."

"Well it could still be someone who has a beef against Dad."

"It could be. He had a lot more trouble making and keeping friends than what we do," Dean joked. "But she could have also been just a pawn and nothing else."

"What do you think the note meant by a tomb with our name on it? Do you think the key is to the tomb or to something of Dad's maybe?" Sam's eyes were imploring his brother to give him something to work with. It was that same expression over the years that made Dean feel like big brother should know everything and he hated it when he didn't have the answers.

"I guess we'll find out in McCook, Nebraska."

Sam winced, looking down at the note and shaking his head. "I don't like this, Dean. Maybe we should wait for Bobby."

"No."

"Why not? Bobby can help."

Dean shook his head. "We don't know how long it will take him to get here and I want to get on this straight away." He stood up and walked to the bathroom. "Bobby will catch up. It's a long drive. I want to leave as soon as you're finished eating." He ended the discussion with closing the door, cutting off any further protest Sam would have made.

Dean leaned his back against the closed bathroom door, letting his head fall back against the hard surface. He didn't know why he was letting this hunt get to him. Okay well he did … it was Dad … but going into a situation half cocked wasn't going to help. But then Sam was going in the total opposite direction and playing devils advocate. Usually, as annoying as it could be, Dean didn't mind Sam questioning everything on a hunt. The more they discussed it the more thorough they were, but this time he didn't have time for it. Dean wanted to get this bitch … or bastard as soon as possible.

Finding John's storage room had been a shock. They hadn't even known it existed. The truck on the other hand had been another loss. It had driven him crazy not knowing where it was and then to find it, only for it to have been basically stripped had pissed him off royally. He hated the idea of someone, some enemy of theirs or their fathers playing with his things and he was determined to get them back.

xXx

Seven hours straight was a long time to be driving by yourself, not that he wasn't used to being in the car by himself for long periods. He had done it plenty of times when Sam was away at college and he had been on separate hunts from John. But after the last few years of being in Sam's company way more than any normal brothers were; now it felt a little lonely to be driving by himself. They had made pit stops but majority of the trip had been spent behind the wheel with the Impala in his rear view mirror. Sam had made is abundantly clear that he didn't like this. He wanted to stop and think and while Dean could appreciate Sam's point of view that didn't mean he wanted to sit around debating the pros and cons of following these clues. He wasn't trying to rush into this; he just wanted to put an end to this case. He wanted to at least be able to reclaim their father's legacy before it came time for the hounds to take him into the pit, that and make sure that Sam would be okay when he left.

Dean turned off the road and into the parking lot of a motel that looked half decent but not too expensive and killed the engine. His brother had made one stipulation before they had left South Dakota. He wanted them to book into a motel so that they had a base of sorts where they could eat rest and think about what they were going to do with the next part of this journey.

Dean opened the door and hopped out of the truck as Sam pulled in beside him. It was weird seeing Sam in the Impala knowing they had arrived at the same destination but in different vehicles. It probably would have been more practical to take the truck to Bobby's while they were in South Dakota but Dean wasn't willing to part with it yet. When he was driving the truck he felt like he was with his father. The sense of John was strong, just like in the storage room but stronger.

"Go book us a room, Sammy. As soon as we're in I wanna take off. I'm not gonna be able to sit still until I know what's in that tomb or what that key is for."

"Like you can sit still on a good day, Mr. Attention Deficit Disorder," Sam replied over his shoulder as he walked away towards the motel's main office.

Dean glared at his brothers retreating back grumbling about certain geeky younger brothers with OCD problems.

It wasn't long before they were back on the road again. Sam had suggested that it was stupid to take both vehicles to the local cemetery and Dean had opted for the truck. It had surprised Sam a little because although he knew Dean was attached to the truck at the moment it but still felt like they were abandoning the Impala a little. The irony wasn't lost on Sam. It was now him that was humanising the black muscle car when he was usually the one to mock his brother for doing the same thing. The impala was home though and as much as he made fun of his brother for treating the car with more care than he did most humans Sam felt like they were leaving a vital member of their family behind. It spoke to Sam as to how strong this case was affecting his brother. If Sam felt torn with leaving the Impala yet Dean chose to leave her behind in order to drive the truck then it was more serious than he thought.

He glanced at Dean as they walked, trying to be inconspicuous about it. Sam would be lying if he said he wasn't worried. He had a bad feeling about this last clue. This person was messing with them and it only stood to reason that any clue they investigated could be dangerous. An innocent had already been injured.

Dean concentrated on the headstones they were passing. He had been in so many graveyards through his life, dug up so many graves that he felt comfortable in a cemetery. It was a simple fact that hunting and cemeteries went hand in hand together.

Judging from the layout they had managed to get from the net the tomb they were looking for was coming up in the distance and for Dean he couldn't get there fast enough. Not knowing what to expect was driving him nuts and he was sick of Sam doing the whole staring thing. It was getting old fast. Wasn't it enough that Sam was hovering because of the deal anyway? It wasn't like Dean was going to go off the rails here.

Quickly glancing at his brother Dean shook his head as Sam looked away. "So …" he started, trying to distract the younger man from the inner thoughts he was no doubt having. He didn't want Sam worried about him. "What do you think the note meant by cookout? It mentioned being hungry. What are they gonna do? Feed us to death … in a cemetery?"

Sam shrugged. "I have no idea but it can't be good. Maybe whatever we find in this tomb will answer that," he suggested.

"It doesn't sound like a promising meal."

"Huh …"

Dean glanced sideways at Sam like he was waiting for the younger hunter to insult him, which is usually what Sam did in moments like this. "What?"

"Oh you know it's just … I've never known you to turn down a free meal before."

"Funny," Dean grumbled but he couldn't stop the small smile from appearing on his face. It was almost like old times. Like before Sam had answered the phone call about the truck. They had been tense with each other lately and this little bit of normalcy, Sam teasing him about his eating habits, allowed Dean a moment to smile.

"I get the feeling that nothing about this hunt is going to be cost free."

Dean stared ahead at the row of tombs at the top of the small grass covered incline. "Yeah …" he agreed. "But ya know what they say … nothing is ever for free."

"Yeah but I don't think I like what this is going to cost us, Dean." Dean's life had already been the price for his life; he didn't want the cost of this hunt to be losing his brother before his time was up. There was still time. He could still save Dean from hell. The alternative was just unthinkable.

Dean groaned, so much for the normalcy and banter. It never ceased to amaze him how quickly Sam's moods could change.

Both boys became quiet as they reached the tombs, both looking for their family name. That in itself felt strange to Dean. He never thought of headstones or tombs when he thought of their family. Neither he nor Sam knew any family aside from their parents and although Mary did technically have a headstone there had been no body to bury. He still remembered his father's headstone from when he had been stuck in the Djinn's dream world but in this world John Winchester didn't have a marker. The boys had made a pier and torched him, cremated his body like they had been taught to do and it had hurt like hell to set their fathers body alight. Even now as he was thinking about it Dean felt a shiver run through him. He remembered what it had been like after their father had died, making a deal to save Dean's life and he knew that no matter what he did or said nothing would make his own deal acceptable to Sam. If the tables had been turned Dean would have probably handled this worse than Sam was.

"There it is." Dean looked up at hearing Sam's declaration and sure enough there was a tomb, sitting right in the middle of all the others, the name "Winchester" engraved across of the arc of the locked doorway.

The lock was a stable one, big and thick but not unbreakable but then nothing was unable to be broken into when a Winchester was concerned. It was just ironic that it was a Winchester tomb that they were breaking into. He took out the key they had found with their Dad's army bag and flask and stared at it for a moment. Shrugging his shoulders, Dean tried to slide the key into the slot. It wouldn't fit. Looking up at Sam with a confused look he put the key back into his pocket. "Well I guess whatever we need the key for is inside the tomb."

He took out his lock pick and began to work on the door.

"Dean …"

Dean paused, looking up from his work.

"Just be careful … okay?"

"Dude, it's me your talking to."

Sam took a torch out of his jacket. Even though it was only early evening they would need a light for the inside of the tomb. "I'm serious, dickhead."

"Yes." Dean's tongue poked out the side of his mouth in concentration as the lock proved to be a bitch to open, a combination of good security and age. The rust was making it difficult to open the damn thing. "I know you are."

"Well then make sure you listen then."

"I'm the one that gives the orders around here, Sammy." Dean allowed himself an accomplished smile when the lock finally clicked open.

"Yeah, well your decision making privileges should be taken off you," Sam mumbled low enough for it to go right over Dean's head.

There was no use bringing up old news. Sam had a sudden desire to see Bobby. Dean listened to the older man. He might not always like what he had to say but Bobby had gained Dean's upmost respect and the mechanic was the only other person that had been able to pull his brother into line aside from their father. Sam had often gotten irritated with their fathers rules and drill sergeant mentality and although Bobby wasn't half as bad as that Sam still appreciated that influence in their lives. It gave Dean guidelines that he would follow because he had total respect for the person giving them those guidelines.

Pulling out his .45 from the back of his jeans Dean shared a look with Sam, asking him without words if he was ready. Sam had no idea what they would find behind the tomb doors but he got the feeling that they wouldn't have much use for a gun. Despite this it didn't make him feel any better about the situation. He nodded and shone his flashlight at the door.

Dean grasped the handle of the tomb door and pushed inward, feeling the old wood give way with a groan. He was met with a whooshing sound as a raging heated air escaped from the insides of the tomb. His ears were ringing as he felt himself propelled backwards. The heat of the blast had him briefly wondering if this was anything near what Hell felt like … right before his world went dark.

TBC ...

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Sorry for the cliffy guys and Heather I hope you like that little bit of hope I just gave you for a fix hehe :P I hope everyone is sending off those letters to the CW or to our boys to show them our support as well :) Looking forward to Jan 31st and a new episode :D It's getting so close hehe. Thanks for reading and for being patient with me :) - Tara x0x 


	6. Smoke and Memories

**Authors Note:** Hey Everyone! Thanks again for all of your kind and wonderful reviews!!!! I've been sitting on this chapter for a bit trying to make sure it was good. I hope you all like it. Thanks to **Angelustatt **and my mother again for all the help you put towards this chapter.**

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**Chapter 6. Smoke and Memories**

He could still feel the heat on his face even as he opened his eyes and brought his head out from under the cover of his arms. The explosion or whatever it was hadn't been extra big but it had been fast and the last thing Sam could remember was screaming his brother's name and then diving to the ground for cover. He had felt the heat from where he had been standing but after taking a quick inventory Sam knew that it hadn't touched him, not enough to leave any damage other than a racing heart and the remnants of the heat. But Dean had been standing right in front of the door; he had opened the freaking door. Sam's scrambled mind started piecing things together and was now ordering his body to move, to get up and check his on his brother.

"Shit," he cursed as he got to his hands and knees. He squinted as he looked around. The last ebbs of the fire were still licking out from inside the tomb but they were dying down now that door had been left open. Where was Dean? He couldn't hear any groaning or curses. The only sounds Sam could hear were coming from the creaking of the tomb doors still hanging from their hinges, the dying fire and the normal night noises one would hear in a cemetery. It was too quiet. Dean should have been complaining and bitching about this latest hurdle. Sam's heartbeat quickened even further as he scanned the immediate area for his brother. It took him a couple of seconds to remember that it was dark and to grab hold of the torch he had dropped.

"Dean?" he called out. Looking to his right, orange flames caught his eye. He swung his torch around and the light hit a dark lump lying motionless at the base of a nearby tree. Sam's heart jumped into his throat and he pushed up off the ground already making his way to his brother's side. "Dean!"

Skidding to a stop Sam wrenched his jacket off hurriedly, dropping the flashlight in his haste to put the fire out. He patted Dean down, the flames extinguishing immediately under Sam's jacket. Picking up the torch again Sam shone it on his brother's face. It was a bit red but nothing too bad. But his clothing was scorched and Sam prayed that the fire hadn't done too much damage to his body. Dean's right shoulder and arm had taken most of the damage.

"Dean!" Sam shook his brother a little, desperate for him to wake up, to open his eyes. Dean remained unresponsive. Leaning forward and putting his ear close to Dean's mouth he sighed in relief to find that he was breathing. His hand to Dean's throat confirmed that his heart was beating. Now he just needed to wake up.

"Dean." He tapped his cheek a few times and was encouraged by Dean's eyebrows furrowing and his head turning towards him.

Dean could still feel the heat of the flames on his face. It was a familiar feeling. Where was Sammy?

"_Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Don't look back! Now Dean, go!"_

His father's order came to him just as clear as it had all of those years ago. Sam. He needed to save Sam. He felt the panic grip his heart just like it had that night and for a moment Dean could see his father, see him handing him the small precious bundle that was Sam. He could feel the weight of his brother in his arms, the weight of that responsibility as much as he could feel the heat of the fire, his mother burning alive on the ceiling. He could see Sam's bedroom window flickering with light of the inferno that encompassed the room, the fear because both his parents were inside that room.

"Its okay, Sam," Dean mumbled the assurance he had given to his baby brother that night. He needed Sam to know that he was safe. Dean wouldn't let anything happen to him.

Sam shook his head. "No, Dean. It's not alright. You need to wake up, man." Dean's head was tossing back and forth and he was breathing through his nose as if he was in pain but Sam also got the impression that Dean was stuck inside an unpleasant memory. He had seen that expression on Dean's face before. He had studied his brother when asleep often enough in the past to know when Dean was dreaming about something.

With a hand on Dean's unsinged shoulder Sam gave him another good shake. "Dean!" He was rewarded by his brother's eyes snapping open, a harsh intake of breath followed as Dean came out of whatever his mind had conjured up and the reality of what his body was feeling kicked in.

"Sam?" Dean croaked as he tried to sit up. He groaned loudly and let his upper body fall back to the ground as the fire in his shoulder and arm ignited at his sudden movement. The charred fabric of his clothing rubbed against his tender flesh, the friction causing pain that caused him to blank out for a few seconds, breathing harshly.

"Hey … Hey, Dean. You're okay." Sam squeezed Dean's shoulder. "Just breathe, okay?"

Breathe. He could do that. He'd been doing that all his life. After a few moments to get his breathing under control Dean opened his eyes, squinting up at Sam. "What the hell happened?" his voice was thick with pain as he attempted to sit up again.

Sam looked back at the open tomb, keeping one hand on his brother's good arm. What _had_ happened? "I'm not sure." He turned back to Dean. "You okay?"

"I'm just peachy." Dean snapped. "Was it an explosion?"

"I dunno … maybe." Sam shrugged. "It seemed to act more like a back draft."

Dean raised his eye brows in interest. "You mean like that movie with Kurt Russel?"

Nodding, Sam kept a strong hand on his brother, stopping him from moving too much. He needed to check out Dean's wound under his now black jacket. "Yeah actually," he agreed. "It wasn't a big one but this could have been a lot worse than what it was. You could have been killed, Dude."

Dean shook his head and tried to shrug away only managing to gasp as the quick movement only served to irritate his burnt flesh further. "I'm sure … arghh … umm I'm sure that if they wanted us dead, we would be. We walked right into that."

"Correction … _you_ walked right into that. I told you I had a bad feeling about this, Dean. We should have taken more precautions." Sam ranted. He made to try and peal Dean's jacket away from him only to have his hand slapped away tiredly.

"Dude … it's dark and I'm … sure our little barbeque isn't going to stay private for long. You can do your Doctor Sam routine b-back at the … motel." He shifted uncomfortably.

What Dean was saying made sense but Sam hated the thought of leaving his brother's wound unattended until they got back. But there was nothing he could do about it in the dark. They needed to get out of here before someone caught them. "Fine, lets get you out of here then, huh?"

Dean closed his eyes, wincing as he shook his head. "No. We need to see what's in the tomb, Sam. It's what we came here for. I didn't just get toasted for nothing."

Dean was right again. Sam didn't like any of this but they _had_ come this far and gotten hurt for their trouble. Finding the next clue was the least they could do, otherwise they _had_ gone through this for nothing. Sam nodded his agreement and went to turn around to go but was stopped by Dean's hand latching onto his jacket sleeve. "What?"

"Help me up."

It was an order not a request but Sam wasn't taking orders right now. Dean was hurt and in Sam's mind that gave him every right to put himself in charge of the situation. "No." He could see an argument already forming in Dean's green eyes. "Look Dean, just stay here and I'll check it out. I mean it, man. Just sit tight."

"But …"

"No. No buts. Do as you're told."

Dean raised an eyebrow at the authority in Sam's voice, making him feel all of four years old. "Dude … who died and made you boss?"

Sam wanted to say that Dean was the one that was dying and leaving Sam to make all the decisions. Once Dean was gone Sam was going to have to make all the big decisions and if Dean wasn't going to fight this deal then Sam might as well start getting used to being in charge. If his brother didn't like that then he could damn well do something about it and help Sam try to get him out of this deal. The bastard could fight to live. "Just stay where you are, Dean. I'll be back in a minute."

Sam turned away from his brother without another word and headed back towards the tomb. The fire was barely worth worrying about now. All that was really left was the smoke inside. Sam shone his flashlight inside and stepped over the small flickering flames and covered his mouth with his shirt sleeve. Coughing a few times Sam tried to see through the dark smoke. The glass cases containing this family's remains had been blackened by the fire. It was hard to concentrate with the smoke somehow still managing to get into his lungs and Sam was about to give up until his light shone over what looked to be a metal box probably the size of the average tool box.

Crouching down, Sam looked for anything that might indicate that this was what they had come for. Keeping his flashlight shining on it Sam used his other hand to run it over the box. On the front there seemed to be some kind of lock and Sam's mind automatically went to the key that they had found with the flask. There was a handle on the lid. Sam wrapped his fingers around it and tried to lift it, surprised with the weight of the thing. It was a strong box and ideal for the next clue considering their friend had decided to play with fire … literally.

He lifted the box up with a huff, trying to cover his mouth and nose while carrying the torch and his find. If he had been unsure that the box was meant for them beforehand, there was no doubting it now. Lifting it had revealed a white envelope sitting underneath. It had been protected underneath the metal. Sam picked up the envelope and placed it inside his jacket and then stood up, box and flashlight in hand. He quickly exited the tomb, coughing and sucking in fresh air.

Despite his protests about being left behind to wait while Sam found their next clue Dean had remained seated against the tree for a bit, not willing to jar his injury. But then he was never one to sit still for long periods of time.

Sam hadn't been gone too long but Dean decided it was long enough. Resisting the urge to check out how bad his shoulder and arm were under his messed up clothing Dean began pushing himself up the tree. It was harder to get his feet under him than he thought it should and by the time he was standing on both two feet he had broken out into a cold sweat from the effort and the smell of smoke on his clothes, burnt flesh almost made him lose the lunch of burgers and fries he had barely eaten earlier. He could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest as he tried to ignore the pain his move was causing. He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly. Leaning back against the tree Dean felt his knees start to buckle under his weight. He felt the rough bark of the tree scrape against the back of his jacket as he began to slide down its trunk.

Hands were suddenly gripping his good arm and jacket, halting his slide back down to the ground. "Hey … easy, Dean. I got ya." Eyes still tightly closed, Dean latched his hand onto Sam's arm trying to get his balance as Sam pulled him back up to his full height. "I thought I told you not to move?"

Dean's chuckle turned into a low groan of pain. Opening his eyes, his lips formed a half smirk. "Is that ... what you said?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "You're impossible!" he all but growled. "Let's just get out of here. Put your arm over my shoulder and hold on." He ordered, waiting patiently for Dean to comply, wrapping his other arm around Dean's waist, his hand gripping the edge of the older man's jeans in an effort to help hold him up.

"What'd ya find?" Dean asked wincing as the stumbled away from the tree.

"Why don't you worry about us getting back to the truck and worry about what I found later?"

Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other Dean tried to take as much of his own weight as possible. He had always hated surrendering total control over to anyone, even his brother. Dean was the big brother and he was the one that was supposed to look after Sam, not the other way around. Trying to walk back to the truck under his own steam gave him some of that control back. He just needed to get out of his top layers and give his shoulder and arm some much needed air and stop the friction of his clothing rubbing against his sensitive skin. It hurt enough that the closer they got to the truck the harder it was for Dean to keep his pain to himself. He took to breathing through his nose to combat with the intense stinging.

The massive truck was a sight for sore eyes. Sam couldn't have been happier to finally see it come into view. He knew that Dean's injuries had to hurt and the fact that by the time they reached their father's vehicle Dean was almost leaning his whole weight into him. Leaning his brother against the side of the truck, he placed the strong box on the ground and opened the passenger door. "Take it easy, Dude." He didn't like the continued pained frown on his brother's face or the fact that he had pretty much kept quiet for the whole walk back. Dean didn't do quiet very often. If the older hunter had stopped nagging about the clues then it was a sure sign that he wasn't doing so crash hot. Sam just hoped to god that the injury was something simple. "Come on. Up you get." He helped Dean climb up into the passenger seat and looked on concerned when Dean just grunted his thanks and leant his head back with his eyes closed.

Hastily placing the strong box into truck bed, Sam jogged around to the driver's side and climbed up next to his brother. "Dude, keys …" he held his hand out.

With a grimace, Dean reached his left arm across to his right side pocket and pulled out the ignition key and clumsily placed it into Sam's waiting hand, all without opening his eyes.

Wasting no time, Sam started the truck and backed up before tearing out of the empty car park. The sight of flashlights off in the distance didn't escape him and he breathed a sigh of relief that they had gotten out of there before someone had come to see what the commotion was. Glancing at his brother, Dean looked like he was asleep but Sam could tell by the tense way he was holding himself and the way he was breathing that Dean was far from asleep, just trying to hold himself together until they could fix him up. He planted his foot on the accelerator, wanting to get his brother back to the motel as soon as possible.

It had been a long time since Sam had been so relieved to arrive back at one of their crummy motels. It hadn't taken them long but it had felt like forever. Sam knew it was going to be a bitch to get his brothers clothing off his body. He hoped he wasn't going to have to literally peel the jacket and shirt off Dean's body. Dean hadn't really moved on the trip back. Maybe grunted or groaned when his arm had accidentally knocked into the door but other than that he had remained deadly silent and Sam wasn't sure what was worse at this point, silence or Dean voicing his pain.

Sam's continuous stream of assurances on the drive back had helped Dean concentrate on something other than the intense stinging heat coming from the right side of his body. It wasn't so much the words, but his brother's voice. The tone of Sam's voice went a long way keeping him calm but he promised himself that once they were inside and his arm was taken care of then he would take his role of carer back. He didn't have the title for very much longer due to the deal and he wanted to make the most of it. He wanted to do whatever he could for the remainder of his time earth side before Sam had to fend for himself.

He felt cold air hit his arm and didn't know whether he liked it or whether it just made it worse. Sam was beside him within seconds and talking again. Dean made a concentrated effort to open his eyes this time and listen to what Sam was saying.

"Hang in there, man."

"I'm alright," Dean countered as he allowed Sam to help him from the truck.

"Sure you are." Rolling his eyes Sam guided Dean to their motel room and let him lean against the wall as he unlocked the door and let them in.

Dean pulled away from Sam as soon as the door was closed and sank down onto the closest bed. His upper body was already falling back to the mattress when he felt Sam's hands back on him, stopping his descent. "Sam …" he couldn't keep the whine from his voice as he remained upright.

"Just let me take a look at you and then you can rest, okay?"

"Okay."

"In fact, get up." He didn't wait for Dean to answer before pulling Dean to his feet. "Let's do this in the bathroom." He wasn't sure of the extent of the damage but Sam thought that it was probably best for both of them if they patched Dean up in the bathroom, close to everything they would need.

"You're a pain in the ass."

Sam raised an eyebrow at the insult that came out of nowhere. He sat Dean down on the closed toilet lid. "Says the guy that walked into an inferno."

"It was hardly an inferno, Sam."

"It was close enough." He placed a steadying hand on Dean's shoulder and frowned when Dean's shivering became apparent. "Look, just sit here, I'm going to get the first aid kit."

Dean nodded and watched Sam walk out. He took a look around the small area, taking in yet another bathroom in yet another motel room. It consisted of a small tub combined with a shower. The shower curtain was a fluorescent green and looked like it had seen one too many showers. The walls and floor were tiled green and white. Sam had definitely picked a winner of a motel this time. It was nauseating … or maybe that was his burnt clothing. He hated smelling like smoke. Fire was a main ingredient in most hunts but the smell never really followed you like it did after being inside a burning building or being burned yourself. It reminded him of that fateful night back in 1983 when their world had been turned upside down. Dean found it both amazing and irritating that a simple smell could take you back down memory lane. He could still remember the smell and heat of that night and til this day it always made him feel a tiny bit sick.

Pulling his thoughts away from the depressing and traumatic memories of his childhood Dean spied the mirror hanging over the white porcelain sink. He looked towards the bathroom door to see if Sam was coming before standing up with a quiet groan. He gripped the side of the sink with one hand and looked up at his reflection in the mirror. He looked a mess. His hair on the right side of his head was a little singed on the ends. His skin was a little red and felt tight and he looked like he had dirt or soot on his face. Maybe a bit of both, he wasn't sure. His eyes were bloodshot and now that he'd had them open for a bit they were actually stinging. Eyelids often had great reflexes but he had pretty much walked into a blast of fire. He was thankful that he still had eyebrows. God he was glad that he didn't look as bad as he felt.

"Dean, what are you doing?"

Sam's voice made Dean jump. He turned to look at Sam who was standing in the doorway looking like he had caught Dean with his hand in the cookie jar. "Dude, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Finish me off? Because you're going the right way about it."

"I thought I told you to sit still?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was an order."

Sam sighed and pointed to the toilet. "Just sit down, Dean. You look like crap."

Dean snorted. "That's okay … I feel like crap. Being blown up will do that to you."

"You weren't blown up." Sam corrected, setting the first aid kit next to the sink. "Dean … sit!"

"I'm not a freakin' dog, Sam." Despite the growl in his voice Dean complied with Sam's order and sat down on the toilet lid. "So … what'd ya find?"

"Can we talk about this later when I'm not peeling your clothes off you?" Sam took the edge of Dean's jacket, the side that hadn't been touched by the fire and started to pull it back. "Take your arm out," he ordered even as Dean automatically began helping Sam with his jacket.

His good arm now free of the thick jacket material caused his right arm to feel heavier. He winced but otherwise remained silent. "I'm glad I wasn't wearing my leather jacket."

"Huh?" Sam asked confused at the change in subject. He started pulling the jacket away from Dean's injured side, looking at Dean apologetically when Dean gasped and tensed.

The jacket came away without too much of a fuss. The worse part was the material moving against his stinging arm. "I … um …" Dean moved his arm experimentally. "Ah … shit that hurts."

"You were saying something about the leather jacket." Sam reminded him as he helped Dean get his good arm out of his outer shirt sleeve.

Dean nodded. "Right … I was just saying that I'm … glad I wasn't wearing that jacket. It was Dads."

Sam paused in his attempt to cut the rest of Dean's shirt away. "I had almost forgotten that. You've been wearing that jacket for so long ..."

"I love that jacket."

Sam grimaced as the skin on Dean's arm came into view. It wasn't as bad as it could have been but it was still starting to blister. "I know you do." He began to cut away Dean's t-shirt. The jacket, shirt and t-shirt were all beyond repair. "I'm gonna put burn cream on these burns and let some air get to it tonight. I'll bandage it in the morning," Sam informed him as Dean looked down at his shoulder and arm.

"Okay."

Sam frowned when Dean didn't argue. "Hows it feel?"

"Better now that it's out in the open." Actually it was stinging like crazy. That kind of burning stinging sensation that was relentless but he wasn't lying when he said that it felt better than it had before. Dean looked up when Sam had yet to do anything. "Come on, Sam. I wanna have a look at what you found."

Sam placed his hands on is hips and looked down at Dean like a parent about to dish out an alternative. Sam had really taken to being in charge and telling him what to do. As much as Dean hated the role reversal it also gave him hope that Sam would be able to handle things when he was gone.

"We'll have a look at what I found as long as you promise to lie down and take it easy for the night."

Dean chuckled and waved his hand lazily in Sam's direction. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, let's just get this done, huh?"

Sam nodded and set to work. The burn ointment was cold to the touch and caused Dean to jump when first applied but Sam was glad to see him relax a little as the cream started to do its job and ease the burn. The burn covered the whole upper arm and spread out a little onto his chest. Sam stood back and observed his handy work. The whole burn was covered in the yellow burn cream and Dean looked beat. He tossed the empty tube in the small trashcan on the floor in the corner of the bathroom and then took hold of his brothers left arm and hauled him to his feet.

"Okay, big brother, bedtime." They left the bathroom and Dean shucked his jeans off, leaving them a heap by the bed before sitting down on the edge of it.

"No. It's clue time first."

Sam groaned, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "God, you are one stubborn son of a bitch."

"I learned from the best."

"Yes you did." He had left the strong box in the truck bed in his concern for his brother. He pushed his hand against Dean's bare chest. "You lie down. I'll go get it."

As his brother relaxed back into the pillows as told, Sam walked back out towards the truck. He took a large breath of fresh night air. Dean was okay. They were both okay and now Sam could breathe properly again. He puffed out a breath of air and reached into the truck bed and lifted the strong box out. The damn thing was heavy and Sam had to admit that he was curious as to whether it was the box itself that was so heavy or whether it was the contents.

He locked the truck up and headed back to the room, closing the door quietly behind him. "Dean …" Whatever Sam had been going to say died on his lips at the sight of his brother lying awkwardly on his left side sound asleep. Placing the box on the end of his own bed Sam quietly walked over to stand over his slumbering brother. He pulled the blankets up over Dean's lower body, leaving his upper body exposed to let his burns breathe. Dean had a frown on his face and Sam wasn't sure whether it was his arm or whether he was dreaming about something. Whatever it was Sam was going to let him sleep as long as he could because ever since this bizarre scavenger hunt started neither of them had been able to get much sleep.

Sam left his brothers side and walked back into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. He prayed for an end to this game. He was tired and could probably use some sleep himself. He was just about to go to bed himself when he noticed Dean's ruined clothing out of the corner of his eye. Dean had put the key in his jacket.

Picking up the jacket in question Sam searched through the pockets until he found what he was looking for. Key in hand Sam went back to his bed and sat down. He looked down at the box as he reached into his own jacket and took out the envelope he had found under the strong box. His body was desperately asking for sleep but curiosity got the better of him. He had to know what was in the box and the envelope. He had to have something to tell Dean when he woke up.

xXx

The dry burning feeling over his right side was the first thing that he noticed when he woke up. It was probably what_ had_ woken him. He felt uncomfortable and memories of the cause of the pain came back to him immediately. He opened his eyes and looked up at the roof. He didn't exactly remember falling asleep but he was pretty sure he last remembered lying on his side. Sometime during his sleep he had ended up on his back. The scratchy comforter was aggravating the edges of the burn on his arm. Carefully rolling onto his side again Dean's vision caught side of the bed next to his. On the bed lied his lanky brother, head at the opposite end of the bed resting on his folded arm and long legs hanging off the side. It was obvious to Dean that Sam hadn't planned to go to bed when he had fallen asleep.

The stinging in his arm drove him to sitting up with considerable effort. He was glad that they weren't in the middle of hot weather because he knew that with the burn on top of that he would have felt worse than he already did now … and now was bad enough. He pushed off the covers Sam had draped over him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his bare feet hitting the questionable carpet. He scrubbed his left hand over his face and then over his hair messing it further, trying to wake up, not feeling like he'd had enough sleep. He looked over at the alarm clock. It was only three in the morning. It wasn't bad considering.

Looking back at Sam, he noticed that there was a box sitting on the bed next to Sam's head. The box was open and there were a few papers lying on the covers next to it, along with an open smaller container. Sam's hand was still holding one piece of paper. The younger man somehow looked comfortable and uncomfortable all at the same time. Dean was sure only Sam was able to accomplish that feat.

Dean was anxious to know what Sam had found in the tomb but he also wasn't sure he wanted to know what memories it would evoke. So far most of everything they had found had contained something personal of their fathers.

He stood up, moving his right arm as less as possible and walked past the bed and back into the bathroom. The smell of smoke was still lingering and Dean wondered whether he had been imagining it until he saw that his burnt clothing had been left in the corner. He shivered at the smell but entered anyway. Taking care of his normal morning business Dean then turned to the sink and turned on the tap, washing his hands and then splashing water on his face in an attempt to wake himself up more. He looked in the mirror. His face looked sunburnt but not as bad as it had the night before. It was better than nothing. He shifted so that he could see his shoulder in the small mirror and grimaced at the little blisters that had formed overnight. Damn he'd been gotten good. He thought briefly about fixing his shoulder up himself but opted to let Sam help him later. The job would be more thorough if he let someone else handle it. He rummaged through the still open med kit, hoping that they still had burn cream. He counted his blessings when he found one more tube in the bag. They would have to get more.

Gently smoothing it over the blisters, Dean only put it on sparingly leaving at least half the tube remaining and put it back in the bag. He walked back into the main room. Sam was still in the same position he had left him in. The box next to Sam's head was calling him. His curiosity eating away at him Dean walked over quietly. He placed the paperwork inside the small container and then back into the box. Removing the other piece of paper from Sam's hand he then closed the lid. His shifted his brother's legs up onto the bed, holding his breath when Sam mumbled something in his sleep before settling. Using his own covers, he covered Sam before putting his jeans back on and taking Sam's finding over to the small table by the window and sat down.

Taking a breath, Dean flipped the lid back open and took out the container. He picked up the first bit of paper he could see. Unfolding it he caught his first sight at the new message from their friendly hunt co-ordinator. The hand written scrawl was familiar by now and Dean glared at it.

_Toasty? Too bad I couldn't have been there. _

_No more games. If you want the rest, come and get it. Grand Encampment. Be there._

Reading the note only added to the anger his burnt arm gave him. He had walked right into it, literally. Nor more games? Good, because he was sick of the damn chase and as soon as he got his hands on the person behind this he was going to teach them a very valuable lesson. The fact that they hadn't made heads or tails about who they were after only served to fuel Dean's anger more. At least Sam hadn't been hurt and Dean planned to keep it that way.

He brought his attention to the box in front of him. It looked vaguely familiar. He was sure he remembered seeing it on the truck and even in the Impala at one stage before John had passed the Chevy onto him. Picking up the container Dean looked inside and found various tools. It was obviously his father's tool box. It explained why the damn thing was so heavy. The other smaller box he had never seen though and he wondered what could possibly be inside.

Opening the container Dean found a few folded papers, discoloured with age. Opening the first one, his breath caught in his throat. It was a death certificate, their mother's death certificate. He had never seen it, hadn't even thought his father had one. He glanced down the page, seeing his mother's name, along with Sam's, his and their dads. The cause of death caught his eye and his jaw tightened.

_Accidental house fire_

Dean snorted and folded the certificate back up and placed it on the table. "Accidental my ass," he muttered. He wondered why his father had kept it but then knowing his Dad it had probably meant to remind him what he had been fighting for.

The next items he found were birth certificates, his and Sam's; again Dean hadn't known that John had them. He had assumed that they had burned along with the house. The dates however proved that John had gotten new copies after the fire. More photos' and some school report cards. The small box was full of random mementos that John had collected over the years. His father never failed to amaze him. First there was the storage room, his shotgun and Sam's soccer trophy and now they had the man's truck. As they tracked down his belongings Dean was realising that John was a lot more sentimental then he had originally thought. John had loved them. Dean had always known that, he had always tried to convince Sam of the fact but it was nice to have hard evidence.

Moonlight shone in through the crack in the curtains. Dean sighed and put everything back, aside from the new note and closed the lid. Looking over at Sam, leaning back in his chair, Dean decided to allow his brother to sleep for a few hours because they had another long drive ahead of them and Dean got the feeling that they were at the end of the line.

_TBC ..._

_

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_So there it is guys! I hope you like it :) Thanks every one of you again for all of your support and again I hope to see you soon. I'll be working on getting the next chapter ready for you every chance I get ;)

On the subject of the strike, rumours of good news are floating around. Let's all pray that we get our show running again soon. Enjoy this weeks episode if I dont see you before then :) Take care :D

Tara x0x


	7. Call For Help

**Authors Note:** Thank you to everyone who is reading this and everyone that has sent in such awesome reviews. You really do all spur me on. It might not seem like it since it's been so long since I posted anything new but you really do.I've been stressing about the length of time it has taken to get a new chapter up and ready and I have learned some very valuable things.

**The quickest way for a muse to abandon me is …**

To stress about Real Life butting its ugly head in and giving me no time to write.

Stressing about how long its taking me to post

And my computer hating me and losing a whole long nights work of writing on the chapter. (long painful story but in short ... Technology hates me)

Despite these hurdles I finally managed to finish this chapter and I'm more than a little anxious about it. I need to thank **Angelustatt** for reading it over and over and telling me to relax and keeping me sane. You rock, mate. Also my mother, for once again trying to help find all the errors. If there is any its all on me. Once again thank you all so very much for your support. I value you all and If you're still sticking with me then I hope you enjoy the rest of the tale …

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**Chapter 7. Call For Help**

Sam woke with a start, his upper body jumping as his eyes snapped open. When had he laid down? His attention was immediately brought to the bed next to his. It was empty. The covers were missing from the bed and Dean was nowhere to be seen. He shot up into a sitting position and looked around the room but he still couldn't see his brother anywhere. The box he'd found in the tomb was sitting on the table near the window and looking down at his covered legs Sam found Dean's missing bed covers. But he still came up short one annoying older brother.

Throwing the covers off his legs Sam stood up, one hand reaching up to rub the sleep out of his eyes. The start of morning light was peaking through the curtain telling him that he had been asleep for a good few hours.

Where the hell was Dean? Sam's first thoughts were that Dean had checked out what had been in the box and had taken off by himself because it was just the kind of stupid thing his brother would do. Spinning around and looking back towards Dean's empty bed Sam noticed his boots. Dean's boots were still by the bed where they had been left and he knew his brother wouldn't have left without them. That was when he heard the water running followed by hissed curses barely audible over the water.

Sam sighed. Dean had obviously taken it upon himself to have a shower … with a badly burnt shoulder. He allowed himself a moment to calm his frazzled nerves. He stretched popping his neck before running a hand through his hair tiredly. The shower shut off moments later and all was silent in the room. Dean's shoulder had to be killing him by now after having hot water pelting down on it. The older man really didn't think sometimes.

Sitting down at the table Sam picked up the note that Dean had left lying next to the closed tool box. So they were headed for a place called Grand Encampment. Sam wasn't exactly sure where it was and contemplated getting his laptop out and checking. The thought was cut off by his cell ringing in his pocket. There weren't very many people that would call this early in the morning and Sam had his suspicions confirmed when he saw Bobby's name flashing from the screen.

"Hey Bobby," he answered the phone, hoping the man had some good news or even better was close by.

"_Hey Sam, where are you boys now?"_

"We're still in McCook, Nebraska." He left out the explosion. There was time for that later. "Did you have any trouble with the knife?"

He could hear Bobby sighing through the phone. _"Depends on what you consider trouble …"_

"What does that mean? What happened?"

"_Let's just say it took me a little longer than usual to get my hands on the thing let alone getting the chance to get the damn knife out of the precinct. They aren't as laid back as you boys like to think."_

"Sorry Bobby."

"_No need for apologies, kid. Just tell that hard headed brother of yours that it's now safe and sound."_

Sam smiled. "Thanks. It means a lot to him … to both of us that we get these things back. Where are you now?"

"_Brookings isn't too far from my place so I headed back last night. I'm about to leave to meet you boys."_

Sam now noticed the background noises filtering through the phone. Bobby was moving around, most likely getting his things together. "Hold on, Bobby. I don't think we'll be here."

"_What are you talking about, Sam?"_

"We got the next clue. We need to go to some place called Grand Encampment …"

"_Grand Encampment?"_

"Yeah, I was going to get on the computer just as you called."

"_That's in Wyoming. It's basically a ghost town now, Sam."_ Bobby had stopped moving around now and Sam could just picture him standing there amidst his clutter of books with a pensive look on his face. _"Not more than four hundred people living there. It's slowly dying."_

Sam snorted, looking towards the bathroom when he heard a thump and a curse coming from inside. "That's ironic," he muttered.

"_What?"_

"Nothing, Bobby." Sam picked up his laptop, sighing as he opened it up and switched it on. "Anyway, I assume that Dean will want to get on the move as soon as possible so … maybe meet us there instead." Sam paused and frowned in uncertainty before continuing. "That is if you still want to help out."

Bobby had done so much for them since as long as Sam could remember. It was 'Uncle Bobby' that had given him the amulet for his father that never left Dean's neck. He had been there more times than Sam could count, now especially since their father had died. He was the only family he and Dean had now.

"_Kid, I'll be there whether you and that brother of yours want me to."_

"Good. Thanks Bobby."

"_Don't thank me yet. Just keep Dean out of trouble and I'll get a flight out."_

Sam raised an eyebrow with an amused expression. "You're flying to us?"

"_No sense in having three vehicles. I'll call you and let you know when I'll be there._

Sam nodded even though Bobby couldn't see him. "We'll be there."

"_Be careful, Sam."_

"We will. You too."

The door to the bathroom opened as Sam ended the phone call causing him to turn around in his chair. It was rare that Dean stepped out of the bathroom without being followed by a cloud of steam, a testament to how the older hunters shoulder felt. He hadn't been able to have as hot or long a shower as he usually did. This meant that Sam wasn't going to be having a cold shower for a change. Even though Dean's face was lined with pain and he was walking stiffly Sam couldn't help but smile at the concept.

"Thought you were going to sleep forever," Dean grumbled, sitting down in the seat across from Sam.

"It's barely six, Dean," Sam pointed out. His eyes drifted to the red blistered skin on his brother's shoulder and arm and winced. "How's the burn?"

Dean shrugged immediately regretting the action as it pulled on taut skin. "It'll be fine." He nodded his head towards Sam's cell phone. "Was that Bobby?"

"Yeah, I told him to meet us at the next stop on the map." Sam brought up Google maps and began his search for Grand Encampment. He came up with nothing every time he typed it in.

Dean snickered. "What's the matter? Geek boy's computer not co-operating with him?"

Sam's withering glare in his direction was his only answer, making Dean actually laugh. "If you're looking for our next destination? I already checked. It's there under Encampment. Its six and a half hours away from here. I printed out directions while you were getting your beauty sleep."

"Bite me, jerk."

"I'm not that kinky, bitch."

"Shut up." Sam sighed heavily, turning off his computer and closing it. "Are you ready for me to wrap that burn or are you going to sit there all morning annoying me?"

Dean looked like he was seriously considering the two. "Well annoying you sure _is _more fun …"

Sam huffed and stood up. "Just get up and let's get this over with."

"Fine …" Dean held up his hands in surrender. "…don't get your panties in a twist, Samantha."

He stood up and followed his brother back into the bathroom. He wondered briefly if Sam was going to miss these moments of their relationship when he was gone. Shaking his head Dean forced those types of thoughts out of his head. It wasn't something he needed to be thinking about right now.

Entering the bathroom Sam was already there, ready for him. "As soon as we get this done and you've showered we'll hit the road," Dean told him sitting down on the toilet lid.

Sam nodded wordlessly and started to smooth out the rest of the cream over Dean's burn, trying to ignore the way his brother tensed when the ointment touched his sensitive blistered skin. Sam thanked god once again that Dean hadn't been hurt worse than what he had.

"So…" Dean started as Sam continued to fix up his arm. "How's Bobby getting there?"

Sam expression turned into a smirk as he looked down at his brother. "Since he's not a total girl he's travelling like normal people in the modern world."

Dean raised both brows in surprise. "He's flying?"

xXx

Reaching Grand Encampment was the best thing that had happened to them in a while, in Dean's opinion anyway. Sam had tended to his burn. It had been wrapped with a white bandage after the remainder of the burn cream had been applied. He had been trying not to move it but driving for so long in a vehicle as large and heavy as his fathers truck was tiresome with only one working arm available.

He had spent the whole drive constantly looking in the rear view mirror watching his brother, making sure he was okay, wondering what was going through the younger man's head. Sam had been quiet before they had left the motel. He had quietly complained and warned Dean about going off half cocked. There had just been a serious _Take it easy, Dean _and then they had been on their way, only stopping for gas, food and a chance to stretch their legs. Bobby had called them and let them know that the earliest flight he could get would get him there an hour after they did. They had both agreed to not do anything until the mechanic arrived.

Looking at the clock on the dashboard of the truck Dean saw that it was almost two in the afternoon. He heard his stomach grumble, telling him that it wasn't happy with his diet of Peanut M&M's and coffee. His body didn't like skipping meals if it didn't have to and so far he had missed breakfast and drove through lunch, munching on the small candy covered chocolates and his endless refills of steaming black coffee at every little pit stop that Sam had demanded.

All this driving in separate vehicles reminded Dean of a time when Sam had been away at college. John and he had continued to travel the country, hunting evil, saving people and it had never worried Dean, his father having his own truck, because he had always had Sam beside him. Then Sam had left and they continued on. Long drives in separate vehicles and Dean had missed his brother fiercely. As much as he loved the Impala, and he really did, it just hadn't been the same without Sam there sitting shot gun, complaining about his choice in music or bitching about being late with school work.

Then John had started sending him on solo hunts and the Impala had probably become a very vital friend because he had been truly alone. It was the same now except this time it was him driving the truck in front of the Impala and it was him that Sam was going to be without when his bill came due.

Sam was stronger than him; he would be able to handle things a lot better than he had. He hoped it wasn't a matter of just trying to convince himself. He had to leave knowing that Sam was going to be okay. After all this was over maybe he would have to talk to Bobby and make sure the man was up to the task of taking over his job. Just the thought of not being there to watch Sam's back made him sick but it was something that he couldn't show Sam and he had to just suck it up and deal with it because there was nothing that they could do.

His stomach made itself heard again and Dean pulled over at the first bar they had come across in the town. Putting the truck into park and killing the engine Dean leaned forward against the steering wheel and looked out of the window. The place was small but not as small as he had seen in the past. Sam pulled up beside the truck so Dean opened the door and got out, waiting for his brother to do the same.

"So … what are we doing now?" Sam asked once he was standing next to Dean.

"Lunch."

"You wanna get lunch?"

Dean looked down at his watch and then back up at Sam. "We have a little over an hour before Bobby gets here and I need some proper food."

"I could do with some food," Sam agreed.

"Good." He looked up and down the street with an incredulous look on his face. "Damn, Sammy, we've been in some small towns before but this ridiculous."

If you counted the residential streets of Encampment then the place was average size but the main strip didn't consist of a lot. It was no bigger than a shopping mall.

Sam started up onto the footpath, heading towards the bar they had parked in front of. "Bobby said it was pretty much a ghost town. They have a museum just on the other side of town."

"And?" Dean followed Sam on the walkway and both boys headed towards the entrance to the bar.

Sam shrugged. "And nothing, I was just saying." Opening the door Sam held it open for his brother to enter before him. Dean looked uncomfortable and Sam was worried that his burn was worrying him. "Is your shoulder okay?" It had been a while since he'd had a look at it.

"Its fine," Dean answered immediately and looked back at Sam. "I feel weird without a jacket on; it's not exactly warm this time of year."

"Well you could try putting on the jacket again but you know it will be uncomfortable."

"I know, Sam." Dean rolled his eyes and walked over to the bar without waiting for Sam and sat down on a stool, calling the middle aged woman behind the bar over with a nod and smile. Sam followed suit and gave the bartender a small nod of acknowledgment.

"What'll it be fellers?" Wiping her hands on a hand towel she then leant forward on the bar, her blonde hair falling over her face.

"Couple of beers and … umm … you still serving lunch?" Dean asked with a hopeful look on his face.

"Sure, sweetheart." She straightened and then reached back before leaning forward again and slapping a white piece of paper in front of them. "That's what's available."

The list was pretty bland, just your usual run of the mill counter lunches but that was fine with Dean. He just wanted something substantial in his stomach. "I'll have two burgers with the lot and a side of fries," he finally decided on before looking at his brother. "Sammy?"

"Schnitzel and salad."

"Okay … beers and food comin' right up boys." The bartender told them with a friendly smile before walking through to the kitchen to organize their meals. Dean turned in his seat, his face scrunched up.

"What?" Sam asked self consciously.

"A salad?"

"I'm sorry I didn't know it was against the law to choose something healthy. You should try it sometime." Sam raised an eyebrow a smile twitching at his lips.

It was on the tip of his tongue to comment on the fact that eating healthy food was a moot point now but he stopped himself. It wouldn't go over well and he didn't Sam getting all depressed and pissed with him about the deal. " You keep can keep your rabbit food, Sammy."

"So … does this place mean anything to you?" There had been nothing on the note to tell them what to expect here. Sam had never been to Encampment let alone heard of it but that didn't mean that Dean or John hadn't been here at some point. Sam had been away for four years at Stanford. That was a lot of hunting without him and John had often left them alone to go hunting by himself when they were younger.

Dean shook his head. "Nah, I know I haven't been here and as far as I know Dad never came here for a hunt but I think it's pretty obvious lately that I didn't know as much as I thought I did about the guy." Dean's voice took on an almost annoyed tone.

Sam remembered not all that long ago when they had found out about their fathers storage locker how excited Dean had been about it. He'd been in awe but apparently that awe didn't last all that long. Dean was now annoyed that there had been so many things that he hadn't known. If Sam was right he would say that Dean looked unsettled by it.

For Sam, these new revelations about their father were refreshing. Throughout his childhood Sam had always had a certain view of the man that was John Winchester. In his younger years his father had been a hero just like any little boy but as he had grown up he had started resenting the man more and more, not allowing himself to see the good points of his father. John was an obsessed bastard but he was also a man that loved his children.

Sam was sorry that he hadn't seen that sooner. You really didn't realise what you had until it was gone. Truer words had never been said as far as Sam was concerned. The same could be said about his brother. He had always taken for granted that Dean would be there for him. Now even as an adult Sam, as much as he complained about the over protectiveness, expected Dean to be there but now Dean was leaving and Sam still had no way of stopping it. If he was allowed to think about that too much it could be over powering, threatening to break him and he couldn't afford for that to happen just yet.

The bartender came back with their beers and both boys nodded their thanks. Sam twisted in his seat, obviously looking for something in particular.

Dean smirked, taking a sip of his beer before pointing to his right at the end of the bar. "It's over there."

"What?"

"The bathroom."

Sam eyes narrowed as he looked at Dean. "I thought you hadn't been here before and how did you know that's what I was looking for?" he asked suspiciously.

"Dude, for one, I know you and two, I don't walk into a room without knowing all the exits and my immediate surroundings and three … I'm just that good." A cheeky smile appeared on his face.

Sam laughed and stood up. "I'll be back."

"Okay Arnie," Dean quipped, taking another sip from his beer.

Sam rolled his eyes at yet another movie reference and walked away from his brother heading for where Dean indicated the bathroom was. He hoped that this was the last leg of this journey so they could get back to business as usual. They needed to get back to fighting the damn war against the demons and saving Dean from hell. Ruby had told him that there was a way to save his brother and he was banking everything on that.

He pushed the door open and walked down a short hallway until he found a door with the little 'male' sign on the front of it. He entered the bathroom, sighing in the knowledge that he could afford to relax for a little bit because Bobby was on his way and they had agreed that they wouldn't make a move until Bobby got there.

Waiting for their lunch and for Sam to get back Dean turned around on his stool so that his back was leaning against the bar. He looked around the small area and saw two pool tables and some tables and chairs off to the other side of the room. There was only a few other people inside and most of them were hanging around one of the pool tables.

"Hey …" A female voice called from behind him before something was tapped roughly against his injured shoulder a few times.

Stinging ignited in his arm and he jumped, gasping at the pain as he brought his hand up to his arm. "Son of a …" Turning around back to the bar he saw the blonde bartender standing there with a curious, shocked look on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asked in an unsure voice.

"Yeah," Dean answered tightly. She hadn't tapped him hard but it had been unexpected and damn it had hurt.

"Um …" Her eyes lingered on where he was holding his arm before she looked up meeting his eyes. "You have a phone call." She held the phone out to him.

Dean eyed the phone suspiciously. "Me?"

"Person on the other end said the good lookin' guy with his taller brother. I know pretty much everyone in here and you are the only one that fits that description, Hun."

The only people that knew that they were in Encampment were Bobby and whoever it was dangling the carrot on the freaking string and not even Bobby knew where they were at this _exact_ moment which meant only one thing.

Shoulder forgotten Dean took the cordless handset off the bartender and gave her a nod of thanks before stepping away from the bar and putting the phone hesitantly to his ear. "Hello?" He looked around the small establishment but didn't find anyone or anything out of the ordinary. People playing pool, a couple of girls heading to the bathroom, customers ordering more drinks. It didn't help that he had no idea what he was looking for.

"_Is … is this Dean Winchester?"_ a tearful voice asked. The voice was female but Dean didn't recognise it.

"Depends," he answered in a non-committed voice, his eyes still scanning the room. "Who's asking?"

"_Oh God … please you have to help me!"_ The girl cried over the phone.

Dean frowned. Of all the possible scenarios he had thought of … this wasn't one of them. He hadn't expected the person on the phone to be a crying hysterical women, begging him to help her. "Calm down, okay?" He spoke quietly into the phone, moving off to a more secluded corner so that he could talk more freely. There was something telling him that this woman was for real. "What's your name and how do you know me?"

Hitched breathing could be heard over the phone for a moment before the woman spoke again. _"Nicole … my name is Nicole. I've been k-kidnapped …"_ she started crying again.

Dean looked heavenward. He could appreciate that this woman was scared but he needed her to keep it together if he was going to be of any help to her. "Nicole … hey, listen to me …"

"_She dialled the number … told me to ask for you. Please … s-she's gonna kill me if you don't come."_

"Okay, okay, where are you, Nicole?" Dean looked over towards the door to the bathroom for Sam but there was no sign of the younger man yet. Dean attention was brought back to the phone when he heard a squeal. "Nicole?"

"_Winchester?"_

The new voice was distinctly male but otherwise gave Dean no other clue as to what was going on and he was getting sick and tired of being in the dark. "Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want?" Dean's eyes rose when he caught some of the bar patrons looking in his direction. He turned his back to them and leant the hand of his good arm on the wall in front of him.

"_Who I am doesn't matter."_ The voice sounded smug and had Dean's back getting up immediately. _"The only thing that matters now is that you do what I say or the whiney little bitch is dead."_

Dean remained quiet for a moment, his jaw flexing, hating this position and a bad feeling settling in his gut.

"_Do you understand me, Dean?"_ The guy's voice was back and demanding an answer.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly. There was no way he was risking some innocent girl's life just because some sicko or a pair of sicko's had it in for him and his family. There was obviously at least two people playing this game and that was more than they knew five minutes ago.

"_Well, I've got a friend here that would like to get re-acquainted with you, Dean. Listen very carefully. If you want little Nicole here to keep breathing you're going to come to the old McKay place out on Encampment Ditch Road … you're to come alone."_

"Alone. You got it." Dean replied quickly, wondering what was taking Sam so freaking long to take a piss.

"_Don't even think about bringing Sam along. We've had our eyes on you this whole time, Winchester and if you so much as say anything to your brother then the deal is off, we'll kill the girl and you'll never see any of your stuff again. Am I making myself perfectly clear?"_

"Crystal." Dean looked back towards where his brother had gone. The worst thing to do right now was to go into any of this alone. It was the reason Bobby was coming out to meet them, the more manpower the better. But what choice did he have. He couldn't risk an innocent girl. A small part of Dean was glad though. He was glad that the mystery couple had come to him instead of Sam. This way Sam was kept out of danger while he dealt with it. It wasn't the safest for him but then his own safety had never been that much of a concern when Sam was around. Sam, and Bobby, would be pissed with him but he was out of options.

"_Good. Leave now, no leaving any messages for Sam, just leave. In fact leave your cell phone there and if you're not here in ten minutes …"_

Dean closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, still scanning the room. "The girl dies, yeah, I get it. I have one condition."

"_What's that, pretty boy?"_

Dean raised his eyes at the name but otherwise ignored it. "Sam is left alone."

Chuckling could be heard from the other side of the phone, aggravating Dean's already spiking temper. _"Don't worry; we're not worried about Sammy. Be here. Ten minutes."_

Dean pulled the phone away from his ear slowly, staring down at the hand piece as if it was some alien. Sam still hadn't come back from the toilet but would probably be out at any time.

Part of Dean did want to go in there and warn Sam what he was doing but a bigger part of him didn't because he knew that Sam would never allow him to go by himself and because it was obvious someone had been watching them and he couldn't spot them out, he had no idea who it could be.

He walked back over to the bar just as the bartender was placing their meals down next to their beers. He forced a smile and handed the phone over to her waiting hand. "Thanks for that."

"It's fine." She smiled back and then held up the handset. "Any trouble?"

Dean shook his head. "Nah, just an old buddy." He pulled out some money and planted it on the table. He almost asked her for directions to the old McKay place so that Sam would have a clue as to where he had gone but he didn't know who was watching or listening. "Thanks for the beers. Give my brother, Sam, my phone …" he handed his cell phone over reluctantly. "…and tell him that I said to enjoy his meal … on me."

"Okay." The bartender looked at him strangely but didn't say anything else, obviously assuming something came up.

Dean stepped out of the bar, the cold air biting his face and whipping right through his open shirt and thin undershirt. He longed for the feel of his leather jacket. It always made him feel at home, comfortable, but when he had tried to put it on in the motel room back in Nebraska the heavy material had only aggravated the burn.

Leaving Sam behind in the bar without telling him what was going down was a lot harder than he thought and he felt himself hesitate for a moment before silently telling himself that he was doing the right thing. He wasn't going into this situation totally unprepared and if Sam didn't know where he was then he couldn't track him down and get himself into trouble. It wouldn't be long before Bobby was there and Sam would have someone watching his back again until Dean handled this situation.

He pulled himself up into the driver's seat of the truck and wasted no time in starting the engine. He knew Encampment Ditch Road wasn't that far from where he was. He remembered seeing it when he had looked up directions that morning. He was still on a time limit and couldn't afford to dawdle.

xXx

Sam banged on the door again, calling out in frustration as still no-one came to free him from the small men's bathroom. He had been washing his hands when he had heard a soft click coming from the door. Cocking his head to the side Sam had moved towards the door. He turned the handle to no avail. The door wouldn't budge and Sam felt a jolt of panic surge through him at what that could possibly mean. The door had obviously been locked from the outside, but why?

Where the hell was everyone? He didn't have anything on him that would allow him to break out. Dean had the lock picking set still in his leather jacket and right now he realised what a rookie mistake that was. They had been taught to always be ready for everything, yet here he was stuck in some bathroom in some tiny town in the middle of nowhere, a virtual ghost town.

No-one seemed to be hearing his calls. Not for the first time he wondered where the hell everyone was? Come to think about it he couldn't hear anything from outside the walls of the bathroom. Maybe the walls were well insulated. He didn't know but what he did know is that he wanted out of the room as soon as possible. He was hoping to God that this wasn't anything more than a coincidence but the sooner he got to his brother the better he would feel.

Walking away from the door Sam huffed in annoyance and ran both his hands through his hair before bringing them down to rest on his hips. Realisation played across Sam's features as an idea crossed his mind. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier. Taking his cell phone out of his pocket he dialled Dean's number.

The voice on the other end wasn't the one he expected. First off it wasn't Dean's and secondly it was female. "Who is this? Where's my brother?"

"_Reaghan … is this Sam?"_

Sam frowned. The name definitely didn't ring any bells for him. "Reaghan who?"

"_Oh sorry … I served you and your brother at the bar before."_

The bartender had Dean's phone? What the hell was going on? Whatever it was it was sending alarm bells off in Sam's head. Something was very, very wrong. He needed to keep a clear head. "Where's Dean?"

"_Your brother?"_

Sam rolled his eyes, trying not to lose his patience. "Yes. Where is he?"

"_I dunno, Hun. He just left …"_

The panic that had tried to take control of Sam before came back to him now as he listened to the bartender talk. "What do you mean he just left?" Sam's voice rose. He shook his head at the ridiculousness of the situation. He was standing locked in the bathroom while talking to some bartender who had his, apparently, missing brother's phone. "Never mind, would you just come and let me out of the bathroom?"

"_What…"_

"Reaghan!" Sam snapped. "I'm locked in your freaking bathroom while my brother is god knows where. Just … just please come and let me out."

"_Of course."_ The phone went dead. Sam jammed his own in his pocket and waited by the door. It wasn't long before he heard the door unlocking and he came face to face with Reaghan who handed Dean's phone to him.

"What happened?" Sam asked pushing past her into the hall, continuing on out of the door and into the main room of the bar. Reaghan followed close behind. Sam spun on the spot to face the bartender. "Did he say anything before he left?"

"Sam, calm down."

"Can you please just answer the damn question?" Sam was two seconds away from shaking the woman. He knew deep down in his gut that Dean had just gone and found himself a whole lot of trouble by himself and that as it stood right now Sam had no idea where he had gone. He felt like screaming at his brother. This was just like Dean to take off and try to handle something like this, injured no less. He was going to kill him if he didn't get himself killed first.

Reaghan moved back around to stand behind the bar, putting the wooden bar between her and the angry young man towering over her. "I got a phone call for him here. After he finished on the phone he handed me his cell to give to you and paid before leaving. That's what happened … I swear."

If Sam wasn't so worried about Dean he might have felt a little guilty that he had intimidated the poor girl. She had no idea what was going on and it wasn't her fault. Sam softened his voice. "You don't know who …." Sam paused halfway as something Reaghan said penetrated his thoughts. "Wait! You said someone called him here? Like on the landline phone?"

"That's right. He said it was an old buddy," she told him, placing both hands on the bar in front of her. "Look, Hun, I'm sure something just came up …"

Sam nodded. "Sure. He didn't say where he was going?" he asked trying to remain calm.

"Sorry." Reaghan shrugged. "And before you ask? No. I don't know who called him."

Sam bit his bottom lip, thinking. He needed to get out here and look. He needed to call Bobby. He needed to find his brother. He concentrated back on the woman in front of him. "Thanks, Reaghan. I have to get going." He gave her a tight smile and turned towards the door.

Sam ignored calls asking him about his food and continued on outside. He knew what he was going to find outside but it still hit him hard. The truck was gone, leaving the impala sitting there looking impossibly lonely. Closing the space between himself and the old Chevy Sam leant against the hood, looking both up and down the street, seeing no sign of his brother or the damn truck. "Dammit, Dean." He cursed.

xXx

There was a lot of land and road but Dean was starting to think he had made a mistake by not asking directions. He had no idea what the house looked like or how far down the road it was. His eyes scanned the scenery around him carefully, not wanting to miss the property.

Out of the corner of his eye something caught his attention and he eased on the brakes before reversing. There was a big arched sign situated over a gate. Written on the arch was the name "McKay"

"Yahtzee," he muttered as he backed up more in order to drive into the long dirt driveway. He didn't exactly want to alert them to his presence straight away by the sound of the truck but looking at his watch Dean realised that he was running out of time.

His shoulder and arm were plagued with a constant ache that he was trying to ignore. He could feel his .45 sitting comfortably in the waistband of his jeans. Dean stepped out of the truck, leaving the door open as he stepped away, looking up at the yellow weatherboard farmhouse. There was nothing around the immediate area that indicated who he was dealing with.

Dean's eyes snapped to the front screen door when it suddenly opened, his left hand going for his gun, bringing it up a little awkwardly. He could use his left hand if need be but it wasn't something he was used to.

A man Dean had never met before walked out but stayed under the shade of the front porch. There was a cocky arrogant countenance about the guy. His short bleached hair stood out even from so far away.

"That gun won't do you much good, Winchester." Shifting his weight from one foot to the other the guy crossed his arms over his chest a smile clearly on his face. "You're a little late."

"What? You're counting the seconds now? How obsessive of you," Dean quipped, keeping his gun trained on its target. "Where's the girl?"

"Locked away."

Pursing his lips, Dean nodded slightly. "A bit vague. Who the hell are you and what the hell is your deal? Because let me tell you I'm getting a little tired of this whole mess."

"Me?" the blonde guy pointed to himself in amusement. "Oh this isn't about me. I'm just helping out a friend."

That was the second time this guy had mentioned a friend. He started to get a bad feeling that was probably way overdue. "Oh yeah? Figures you'd be just a lackey. So where's the mastermind behind this demented treasure hunt."

"Right here, baby."

The voice was familiar and was so close behind him that he spun around so fast it almost made him dizzy. How the hell had someone been able to sneak up behind him without him noticing? He had no idea but he was willing to blame the pain still tingling up his burnt arm, his uneasiness with having his gun arm unavailable.

The person now standing before him caused his eyes to widen momentarily in surprise. She wasn't even really a human at all and he couldn't believe that he hadn't even thought of her. But here she was, her stance still confident, her grin still seductive in that dead chick sort of way that made his stomach curl in disgust.

"Kate."

Blinding pain erupted in his temple almost before he finished getting the name out. His head snapped back so hard that his lights were out before the gun slipped from his hand, before his body even hit the ground.

TBC ...

* * *

Okay after that big sucking up I did earlier I realise that I just left you all with a big cliffy. Not intended originally but I extended the chapter and it ended up that way ... sorry hehe. I really am going to work my butt off now that I think things with work and other real life stuff have calmed down a bit. I am planning on writing as much as I can so I'm hoping it wont be too long BUT I can promise you that the wait for the next chapter wont be anywhere near as long as this one was. That's a promise! If you're still hanging in there I hoped you liked it :D 

Before I go I wanted to say a very big Welcome to a friend I met through Angelustatt and RPG's who has finally joined us at She's an excellent writer and is using the pen name YED. Here is the link to her page spaced out and I'd definately reccomend you check out her first story because its very promising already :)

www . fanfiction . net / u / 1508717 / YED

Enjoy and see you soon

Tara x0x


	8. Bigger Fish

**Authors Notes: **Hey Guys! Thanks for all of your reviews and support! They definitely keep me writing even if it doesn't seem like it because of the long wait between chapters. RL just doesn't like to let up at the moment but I'm back and I hope you all like this next instalment. Thanks again to **Angelustatt** for always helping out.

Before you read … I would like to say a big congrats to Gabriel Aubrey and Halle Berry on the birth of their daughter. YES **Joshua's a Dad** for any of you Brotherhood fans hehe … well not Joshua himself but considering Gabriel unknowingly plays the part of or wonderful, often annoying Joshua Sawyer I thought it was worth a mention hehe

Okay …. Onto the story … any mistakes are my own …

* * *

**Chapter 8. Bigger Fish**

Flying might be normal for most people and when you needed to get somewhere fast then it was the way to go, but Bobby would still prefer to have his two feet on the ground. He was a mechanic and driving a car was a lot more comfortable in his opinion. When driving a car you were in control of that vehicle but when you boarded an airplane you were handing over any control you might have had to people that you didn't know. In the world of a hunter, controlling your situation didn't always go to plan so he liked to keep the small things … like getting from A to B.

He had found that after all his years of hunting that when the Winchesters were around control seemed to fly out the window. Whether it was John Winchester or either of those boys it didn't matter. All three of them had a way of doing things their own way. Sure the boys listened to him and he was proud to be one of the few people that those boys obeyed without question. It was a standing that not a lot of people had on this earth and it was high praise but even with that, trouble seemed to follow them like a bad smell. Dean and Sam didn't need to go looking for trouble because Bobby was sure that trouble knew where they were most of the time. 

They never caught a break and now with Dean's deal hanging over their heads time seemed to be just getting away from them. Bobby wasn't going to just sit around and wait for Dean to die. He wasn't going to see his friend's oldest son go to the pit. Those boys were the closest thing Bobby had to family and he wasn't letting either of them go without a fight. Problem was that everything they had tried had come up as a dead end, fruitless search after search and they were already past the six month mark and nothing to show for their efforts. He knew that if they couldn't save Dean that Sam wouldn't be far behind.

Bobby exited the terminal, with his carry on over his shoulder and headed straight for the rental car service desk. It was time to get this show on the road. He needed to get to those boys before they did something stupid. Bobby knew what Dean was like when it came to his father. He was very protective of his family and John's death and sacrifice had hit him hard. The memories this hunt would be evoking would be hard on both boys, but especially on Dean. 

Handing over a fake ID, because he wasn't planning on bringing the damn car back, Bobby didn't have to wait for long before he had a set of keys in hand. He found the Ford Taurus relatively easy and he was starting to get paranoid, but he ignored the niggling feeling, blaming it on his pessimistic side.

The car pretty new and it had been a while since Bobby had driven anything like it. He preferred the older cars and the pleasure he got out of doing them up with his own hands. It was something that Bobby had shared with both John and Dean, although Dean had been a lot more interested in it by the time Bobby had met them. The hunt had consumed John's life for the most part but Bobby could remember plenty of times when Dean had helped him on one car or another when the Winchesters had been staying at his place. He had enjoyed working on cars with Dean as he grew up because it had given him a chance to get to know the boy and for Dean to get to know him and over the year's friendship and respect had grown to what it was today. 

Bobby chucked his duffle in the back and took a seat behind the wheel. He quickly started the car and even as he was leaving the car park he was pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and flipping it open. He thought about calling Dean to tell them that he was on his way but at the last minute pressed the second number on the speed dial. He knew that Sam would tell him the truth. Dean wouldn't outright lie to him but he would omit things that he didn't want to discuss. It was something he did with everyone, including his brother. 

One hand on the steering wheel and the other pressing his phone to his ear, Bobby waited for Sam to pick up. It wasn't a long wait. Sam's voice came through after the first ring and Bobby knew straight off that something else had happened. Sam was stressed and in the process of freaking out.

"Sam, what happened … slow down," Bobby ordered as Sam's first words totally went over his head.

"_He's gone, Bobby."  
_

"Who?" Bobby didn't know why he was asking that question because the heavy pit in his stomach had told him exactly who Sam was talking about.

"_Dean! That stupid pig headed asshole took off on me. I swear I'm going to kill him."_

"Calm down, Sam …"

"_Calm down? How the hell do you expect me to calm down when my brother is missing?" _

Sam's voice was rising more and more and Bobby could understand Sam's fear and frustration but it wasn't helping anything other than his ever growing headache that this whole situation had caused. "Boy, I won't tell you again. Now, calm the fuck down and tell me what happened."

Bobby could hear Sam breathing and he could almost picture the boy trying to calm himself, eyes closed. "Sam?"

"_I … uh … we stopped at a bar to get some lunch and to wait for you and I went to the bathroom. I came out and he was gone."_

"That's it? He was just gone?"

"_He left his cell phone with the bartender. I found out when I called him from the bathroom."_

Bobby frowned in confusion as to where this conversation was headed. It was like the trickster explanation all over again only with just the one brother instead of two. "I know I'm going to regret asking you this but why were you calling your brother from the bathroom?"

"_I got locked in there and I called Dean because no-one was coming to let me out and Reaghan answered his phone and told me that Dean had taken off …"_

"Reaghan?"

"_The bartender … Bobby, I don't know where to start …"_ Now Sam sounded lost and more than a little scared. 

"Was the bartender able to tell you anything else?"

"_Only that someone called for him on the bar phone and that he told her he was going to see an old buddy. Getting locked in the bathroom wasn't a coincidence, Bobby. Someone was there with us, set us up and I have no idea where to look and I'm going out of my mind."_

Bobby looked down at his watch and back up at the open road in front of him. I'll be there in an hour, Sam. Don't do anything until I get there okay? If you find something you call me …"

"_Bobby … he's injured …"_

"What? How the hell …" 

"_Long story but he sort of walked into a small explosion and got burnt. He'll be okay but he's not on top of his game right now."_

Bobby sighed loudly, worry etched on his features. A small explosion to a Winchester could mean a nuke. He had millions of other questions but decided against voicing them until he got to Sam. The faster he drove the better. "Sam, we'll find him. I'll be there as fast as I can. Don't do anything stupid."

"_Right …"_

"I mean it, son. Call me before if anything comes up."

"_Okay, Bobby. Just get here."_

Bobby didn't wasn't time with pleasantries, flipping the phone shut and chucking it on the passenger seat beside him. By the time they got to Dean the stubborn son of a bitch wasn't going to have to worry about the hellhounds coming to take him to the pit, he and Sam were likely to kill him. It was driving him insane not knowing all the facts. Dean wouldn't have taken off on his brother, leaving his cell phone, without a good reason … or what Dean perceived as a good reason. It worried Bobby to know end because Dean's judgement wasn't always kind to _his own_ welfare. The deal was proof of that.

Bobby would never forget Sam's death. It had been painful for him and watching Dean break was another kick to the gut. When he'd left Dean in that cabin with Sam's body he had been expecting Dean to do something stupid, expected him to put a gun to his head and pull the trigger because Dean and Sam were like two halves of the same coin. One couldn't be without the other. He had almost turned around over a dozen times on his way back home but he didn't. He knew that no matter what he did if Dean wanted to take that course of action Bobby would only serve as a momentary pause in those plans. 

Sam, living, breathing hadn't been what he had expected to see when he'd opened the door. He had been hoping it would be Dean. He had felt shock at first, he couldn't believe his eyes and then he had felt joy because seeing the boy he had watched grow up lying there lifeless in death had killed him, but then he had seen Dean's face and he couldn't take his eyes of the broken boy in front of him. It had been obvious that Dean knew that he knew what he had done. Of course Bobby didn't know the specifics but Sam was alive and Dean's eyes had held shame and guilt when faced with their old family friend. Dean could barely look at him and when he did he pleaded silently for Bobby to keep quiet.

Bobby could have kicked himself for leaving Dean back at the cabin. He should have stayed, knocked the kid out if he had to because as glad as he was that Sam was alive, and he was, very much, Dean didn't deserve to go to hell and Bobby's heart broke for the boy he was looking at in that junkyard who seemed to think that his life was worthless. Bobby loved John like a brother, despite their differences and falling out but he could have pulled out his shot gun again and actually filled the fool's ass full of buckshot this time because through all of John's training and orders about Sam's safety Dean had grown up with no self worth what so ever. The boy couldn't even consider in his own mind that he was needed and loved just as much as he needed and loved those close to him.

Bobby shook his head, clearing those depressing thoughts from his head. They _were_ going to find a way out of this deal simply because there was no other choice. Dean would experience the fires of hell over his dead body.

Stepping on the gas, Bobby careened down the long road, going as fast as he could because he knew that Sam was a Winchester through and through and more like John than he cared to admit … with Dean missing and possibly in trouble he would only wait for so long.

xXx

"Wake up!"

The cold that splashed over him nearly stole his breath away. The shock of the water caused his body to jump in reaction. His body swayed and it brought attention to the pull on his arms and shoulders. The feeling reminded Dean of the time he had been captured by the Wendigo right after Jessica had died. The headache he had now wasn't all that different to the one he'd had back then when Sam had woken him. For a confused moment Dean allowed himself to hope that it was Sam here to rescue him.

More water crashed over him and his body jerked again sending sharp pain in his burnt shoulder. The water soaking into his shirt and bandage was soothing the burn but like any burn it wasn't going to last forever and the pain from the way his arms were wrenched up above his head, supporting his whole weight, was already kicking in. He kept his eyes closed, breathing slowly.

He flinched when he felt a hand placed on his chest. He remembered seeing Kate. He had forgotten all about the vampire. Once saving their father's ass and getting their hands on the colt things had gone to crap and any worry over the remaining vampires they had let get away had vanished. He had been more worried about his father's possession, waking from a coma only for his father to die, sacrificing himself to save Dean. Kate and her remaining family hadn't even been a thought in his head.

"I know you're awake … Dean." She purred, her hand trailing up his drenched chest to grasp his chin, lifting his head. 

Dean reluctantly opened his eyes, blinking furiously as water met at the end of his lashes. His gaze was blurry, pain thumping in his temple were he had been hit. Despite the blurry vision Dean took note of his surroundings. He was in what looked like your typical barn, not all that different from the Vampire's previous home, although this barn didn't look actually lived in. The only things in the room were a couple of chairs. Dean looked straight into the vampire's eyes.

Kate's lip curled in a smile when she saw that she had Dean's attention. "It's been a while. You didn't forget me did you?"

"Forget you? Nah, I tend you remember any dead chicks that stick their tongues down my throat."

"We can start back where we left off if you want?" she leaned closer, her lips ghosting over his as she kept her eyes locked on his green ones.

"I told you before … I usually draw the line at necrophilia."

"Usually?"

"Always," he corrected as she let go of his face.

Kate put on a mock pout, moving her hands back to his chest, one hand moving up to his right shoulder. "And here I was thinking you might want one final romp in the hay before I bleed you dry." She shrugged. "Your loss."

Dean shivered as the door to the barn opened and a breeze blew through the barn followed by the bleached blonde guy he had met before. Dean couldn't help but find it funny now that he knew that the guy wasn't just some guy … he was a vampire. Dean chuckled, shaking his head, trying to hold back the wince at the motion. "I was beginning to wonder when Spike was going to join the party."

The blonde vampire walked further into the room, a cocky smile on his face. He laughed as he came to stand next to Kate. "You're a real comedian."

"I try."

"Will you still be trying when we are draining you of life?" 

In Dean's mind his life was already being drained when everyday passed and he got closer and closer to the end of his final year without any solution forth coming. As long as Sam was safe and had Bobby to hopefully keep the kid on track Dean could deal with leaving early. He didn't _want_ to. Dean didn't want to die at all but for Sam's sake he would do anything. 

Dean smirked. "It's what I do." He informed them, looking from Kate to her new friend.

Dean didn't react the way their normal victims did. This guy was cocky and didn't seem to fear them like every other human they had come across. Even the few hunters his nest had caught in the past hadn't been this confident in the face of death. The vampire stepped forward studied the human hanging in front of him. "Or maybe we should turn you. That would be worse than dying for one of your kind wouldn't it? And we can always use new blood in the family … so to speak."

Dean schooled his features into a neutral expression when he felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of being turned into something that he hunted. It would have to be the worse thing he could think of other than Sam dying. He's already experienced Sam dying and he was in no hurry to experience the other. He was slightly curious as to what that would mean for his deal. If he was turned into a vampire, no longer really alive what would that mean when the hell hounds came to drag his soul to the pit? He assumed Vampires still had souls. Lenore and her gang were proof of that, weren't they? But if he was already dead how could he die? Would that mean Sam would die again? That thought had him panicking more than anything else. It would be the worse thing he could think possible, being turned into a monster and his brother dropping dead. He couldn't let them know that though.

"No!" Kate snapped. "I don't want him to join us, Troy. I want him to suffer." She turned to look at the other vampire, her eyes boring into his. She wasn't going to back down from this. She had waited a long time to get her hands on a Winchester. She had planned and waited and now it was finally coming together. Revenge for her nest and, most importantly, Luther's death was just within her grasp and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it.

Troy looked at Kate, his blue eyes shining. Kate and Megan had joined up with his 'family' a little over a year ago. Troy had known Luther, had met him fifty years before. The world was different then. It was amazing how much things had changed in only that short amount of time. It had been a long time since he had seen the other Vampire but Troy hadn't had any trouble at all with allowing the two female vampires to join his brood, after all Luther had saved him from a couple of hunters back many, many years before. It was the least he could do for the remainder of Luther's family.

"And he will suffer," he agreed.

"My way!" She had waited too long for someone to come in now and ruin the plans she had. It was all that mattered to her right now. "They killed Luther … the whole nest and they are going to pay, Troy!"

Dean looked between the two vampires like a tennis match as they stood before each other like they were each trying to claim a piece of meat. He didn't know whether he should be glad that Kate didn't want to turn him into a vampire or worried over what she actually _did_ have planned.

Troy put a hand on Kate's shoulder and nodded. "Kate, they are all yours. Relax."

"They?" Dean asked breaking the trance the two vampires seemed to have on one another. His father was dead and a far as he knew Sam should have been with Bobby by now but he was still worried that they were going to go after Sam. He didn't trust their word at all.

Kate turned back to her prey the angry predatory snarl she'd had when dealing with Troy was gone now and that damn smile was back. "Did you really think I was going to stop at you, Dean?"

"Well to be fair I'd had no idea I was dealing with a crazy revenge driven vampire until now."

"You, Dean, are just the appetiser." Kate explained, licking her bottom lip. "I'm bringing in your brother too."

"You know what would work even better?" Dean tried. "Killing me and leaving my brother alone. You really want revenge? Me dead would be the worse thing for him." 

The thing that hurt the most was that he was speaking the truth. He knew damn well that Sam wasn't coping at all with his impending death and he had been worried about what was going to become of his brother once he was gone. But he would rather Sam be alive than dead so it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. Taking one look at Kate he realised that she wasn't buying it … or simply just didn't care.

"Nice try, buddy." Troy laughed bringing Dean's attention to him for a moment, not looking all that scared under Dean's heated glare.

Kate's eyes had never left Dean's face, her expression as serious as ever. Dean looked back down at her, trying to ignore the burn of his shoulders getting worse under the strain of his weight. He tried to ignore the actual burn that was aching on his shoulder; the blistered skin bent with the position of his arms was feeling worse every minute dangled there. He tried to keep as still as possible but it was hard.

"Why … why didn't you just take us both if you wanted us so badly?" Dean asked. He knew that they'd probably had plenty of chances. Neither he nor Sam had even noticed anyone watching or following them.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" Kate asked, a pleased look coming over her. "You boys took out our whole nest by your selves. I've had the chance to watch you two over the last few months. You work too well together. Divide and Conquer, baby. By the time we bring in Sam? You won't be much use to him."

"You touch one hair on my brothers head and useless or not I will find a way to kill you … I swear to God."

"That's sweet … really, but not much of a threat coming from you right now." Kate turned away from Dean's seething glare and held her hand out to Troy who rolled his eye but walked over to the corner of the barn and picked up a large brown bag that Dean hadn't noticed sitting there before and brought it back and dropped it next to Kate. "You and your brother are just bait, Dean … for a much larger fish."

Dean's eyes narrowed as he watched Kate bend down and open the bag. An uneasy feeling came over him and the feeling that things were going to get a lot worse right now. Without really thinking it through, not thinking that he really had much to think about, Dean gripped the ropes that he was hanging from with his almost numb hands and kicked out, his boot connecting with Kate's jaw. The force of the kick threw Kate backwards, landing and sliding back on her rear. 

Pain exploded in Dean's cheek as he was backhanded viciously. The coppery taste of blood fill his mouth as his lip was split by the impact of flesh upon flesh. He grunted in pain as the force of the blow pushed him backwards, his body swinging from the ropes suspending it. Suddenly Troy was in his face, wrapping his fingers around Dean's throat, pulling the hunter forward, baring his teeth second set of vampire teeth. "Try something again, Winchester, and I'll forget your Kate's, got that?"

Dean didn't bother responding. The hand clutching his throat was making it hard to breathe let alone speak and what was the point? Did this Spike wannabe really think that his threat was incentive for him to be a good boy when he was going to be killed regardless? When Sam was going to be captured and killed regardless? There was no way that anything they had in store him and his brother would be pleasant so the first words in his mind were 'fuck you' but of course the hand around his throat restricted any kind of response.

"Troy, leave him. Go and tell the others that it's feeding time again." Kate ordered the other vampire as she stood up and brushed herself off.

Troy let go of his throat with a rough push, causing pain to race through Dean's shoulders, causing the burn on his shoulder to make itself known to him again. He held back a groan, not wanting to give the bleached vampire the satisfaction. Troy sneered and walked away, exiting the barn and leaving Dean alone with Kate.

"That wasn't very smart, Dean." Kate cooed as she walked cautiously over to the strung up human.

"Caught you by surprise, sweetheart," Dean replied smugly, trying to ignore the burning pull in his shoulders.

"That won't happen again." Kate held up the bowie knife for Dean to see. 

It almost looked familiar. A sudden realisation came to him. Kate still had all of his father's weapons. Was she going to kill him with his own father's weapons? Now that would be ironic, he thought.

"You mentioned a bigger fish?" Dean asked hoping to distract her from the glint of the knife that was causing her unsettling feral smile.

Kate finally looked him in the eyes. "That's right, I did. As I was saying … you and Sam aren't the only ones I'm after. There's someone else I want even more."

Dean held as still as possible as she trailed the tip of the knife down his torso and further, much further than he was comfortable having a knife. "Oh yeah? And who would that be?"

Kate paused in her knife wandering and sneered up at her captive. "Your father."

Dean's forehead creased in confusion. She was going to find it a bit hard to find John Winchester. "My father?"

"Your father, Dean, caused me a lot of pain. You and your brother will pay for killing my whole nest but especially? I want you father to feel the same pain I did when he killed Luther."

Dean remembered that moment vividly. Sam had been caught. There was a stale mate with Luther's arm around Sam's throat, ready to snap it at any moment. Dean had been scared because there was nothing he could do fast enough to stop the head vampire from making good with his threat. Sam had looked so desperate, so young, looking at Dean for help that he wasn't sure how to give. Then everything seemed to go in slow motion, his father's voice, Luther dragging Sam around, a gun shot and then Sam was released and they had their first proof that the colt truly did work. He also remembered Kate's scream before she was dragged away by the one remaining vampire, followed by his fathers smirk.

"Let me ask you a question …" Dean spoke as Kate once again moved behind him with his father's Bowie knife. "Is it possible to kill something that doesn't have a beating heart?" 

A low growl was the response he got and he tensed as he felt the knife pushed up and under his shirt and t-shirt, the cold metal a shock against his skin. It wasn't the smartest thing to do, taunting the person who had him tied up at knife point. It was something that he had never really learned and it was something that frustrated the hell out of Sam.

He closed his eyes and waited for the pain of the knife piercing his skin. Instead of pain and blood there was a loud ripping sound as the knife was brought down his shirt, leaving his back bare. "Thought we talked about this?" he gasped as her cold hands, ran up his back.

"Don't worry, baby, your virtue is safe with me. It's your blood we want."

"We?"

Kate was back in front of him again and cutting through the arms of his shirt and t-shirt. "My new friends of course. Think of your self as a house warming present to my new family. Me? I'm saving myself for your father." She ripped his top clothing away from his body, leaving his entire top half naked and feeling more than a little vulnerable.

"I hate to disappoint you but you won't be getting your sick hands … or fangs … on my father."

"And why's that sweetness. I think when he finds out we have his precious son's he'll come running." 

"A bit hard to do when he's dead." Just saying the words always made Dean feel a little bit sick because he knew that he was the reason his father was dead. 

"You're lying." 

She sounded confident and Dean thought that she really didn't know that his father had died. Hardly anyone, outside of the hunting community, actually knew what had happened to John Winchester so Dean wasn't sure whether he should be surprised or not, that Kate didn't know. Maybe she didn't want to believe that he was dead. If John was dead then she wouldn't have the revenge she wanted.

Kate eyed the bandage covering his shoulder, smirking, knowing where and how he had gotten that injury. She placed her hand on top of the bandage, lightly at first and then increased the pressure until she was squeezing the injured shoulder with all her strength.

Dean grit his teeth and growled through them in pain. "Sonofbitch!" he cursed loudly, tears prickling in the corner of his eyes as the burn felt like it was ignited in fire as she increased the pressure. Be began breathing through his nose, determined not to shout out because he knew that was exactly what she was looking for.

"How's that feel?" Kate eased off his shoulder, bringing the bowie knife tip up to press against his throat.

"Just fucking great!" Dean growled through gritted teeth. "Get your hands off me, bitch!"

"Honey, it's not my hands you have to worry about." She pressed the knife's tip harder against his neck, breaking the skin, only pausing for a moment before cutting down his chest in one fluid motion, blood blossoming and running down his chest after the knife.

"Arghh! Shit!" he cursed

Kate just smiled cut across his chest in the other direction. Dean closed his eyes and opened them again when he heard the barn door open again. Behind Kate, Troy re-entered, followed by four other vampires. 

Dean tried to calm his racing heart. Apparently it was mealtime

xXx

Sam sat in the Impala trying to calm himself. He felt like he had searched the whole freaking town and came up empty. He was surprised no-one had called the sheriff, alerting him to a crazy guy speeding around and tearing the town apart. Everyone was a suspect in Sam's eyes and they would be treated as such until he could figure out where his brother had gone. 

He knew … he just knew that Dean was already in trouble. Dean didn't have any old buddies in Encampment and someone had made sure that he wouldn't be there when Dean received that phone call. Why the hell had he left to go to the bathroom? Sam knew that question was ridiculous. There was no way he could have known that something would happen while he was in the bathroom but he had to blame something and he was reserving the blame he was holding for Dean until he saw his brother again.

Sam looked down at his watch and then back up at the road. He knew he still had a bit of time before Bobby showed but Sam wished he would just get there already because Sam needed someone to bounce things off.

Now he knew how Dean had felt when he had gone missing in Hibbing, Minnesota. The whole time he had been held in that cage by those freaky red neck's he had been praying that Dean would find him. He'd had no doubt that Dean would be looking for him but it hadn't really occurred to him _what_ his brother was going through. He had been more concerned about what he was going to do when the sick family decided it was his turn to play with them. His options had been limited considering he was locked in a cage like an animal.

But that hadn't been the only time Sam had gone missing on Dean and Sam felt guilty in the knowledge that some of those times he had willingly disappeared, doing to his brother what his father had back in New Orleans. It was no wonder that Dean had serious abandonment issues. The two most important people in Dean's life had disappeared willingly on him. 

He couldn't forget the time he'd been possessed by Meg. His memories had eventually came back to him from his possession and he really wished they hadn't because he'd had to watch himself do some terrible things and none more terrible than shooting his own brother, beating the shit out of him. The words he had said to his brother had been just as bad as the night at the cabin when their father had been possessed by yellow eyes himself.

The one time Sam really did try to forget was the last time that he had unwillingly disappeared on his brother. Waking up in that ghost town, Cold Oak, Sam had been scared to death. One minute he'd been in a diner ordering Dean's damn burger with the extra onions and his damn pie and the next he had woken up on the ground in a deadly silent town, Dean nowhere in sight. He hadn't known what had happened to Dean. He hadn't known whether Dean was dead or alive and once again Dean had been left searching for his wayward little brother. 

Dean liked to be in control of situations and he knew that his constant disappearing acts were making his brother crazy and even more over protective than usual, but the last time had been, by far, the worst because this time Dean hadn't gotten there in time to save him. It wasn't Dean's fault but he knew his brother would never believe that. That last disappearance had been what caused Dean to sell his own soul in order to save his little brother.

It killed Sam even thinking about it and that had been all Sam could think about since he had learnt the truth of his brother's deal. If they didn't find a way out of this deal Dean was going to die and they were running out of time more quickly than Sam realised or liked. It was even more apparent now that Sam had lost his brother. Dean might have left that bar on his own two feet but Sam didn't believe that it was in anyway willingly. 

Dean could be a hot head sometimes, jumping in before thinking, going off half-cocked and if he really thought it was in Sam's best interest he could see Dean taking off without him. This time was different though. Dean had promised him that he wouldn't make a move until they all agreed and he had left his phone with the bartender. That was the proof for Sam. Even if he had believed that Dean had left him willingly? That train of thought ended when the bartender had answered Dean's phone.

So now Sam was on the other foot. Now it was him that was looking for a missing brother and he wondered how Dean kept sane.

Sam started the Impala again and made a decision. He was heading back to the bar. This whole town had given him nothing so he would go back to where this had started. He didn't care if he had already looked for answers there, interrogated people there; someone had to know something and until Bobby arrived that was Sam's only plan.

TBC …

* * *

Thanks again guys and I really do hope you liked this one. I would like to say that I will see you before Easter but I think that would end up a lie soooooo Happy Easter everyone and I hope to be able to post again soon. I am trying to aim for no longer than 2 weeks a chapter. Of course I will post sooner, given the chance but anyways … you get what I'm saying and I'm rambling so I'll shut up!

One thing before I do go … my website has been updated a lot since the last time. I'm trying to keep it up to date as much as possible but just so you know all videos are up and available for download now in the Music Vid section. There's a new Brotherhood one there called **"How Far We've Come"** and another Vid made for the amazing **Gaelicspirit** called **"Bleeding Out."**

http / tara494 . googlepages . com / 

(join it all together for the link to work or just got to my profile page and you'll find the link there )

Happy Easter and see you soon 

Tara x0x


	9. Bleeding Out

**Authors Notes: **Hey! For once I didnt take so long to post :) Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourited and put me and/or this story on alert. All of your support is awesome and really keeps me going. I hope everyone had a great Easter and I need to thank **Angelustatt** for all of her help and I have to say that I had a blast working through correcting this chapter with my mum lol Any mistakes left over are all mine!

**Gaelic**, I named this chapter for you hehe

I really hope you all enjoy this next chapter :)

**Chapter 9. Bleeding Out**

It was hard to find any kind of escape when you were being held the way Dean was right now. But escape was definitely what he wanted as he saw the group of vampires enter the barn and make their way towards him. He had no desire, what so ever, to become part of the main feast for these freaks but he couldn't move other than swinging from his arms and that really only did nothing but cause him more pain.

What was Sam doing right now? He was praying that Sam was watching his own back, praying that Bobby had already arrived to keep his brother out of trouble. His situation wasn't exactly the best but it would be made one hundred times worse if Sam joined him.

He remembered back to Red Lodge, Montana when they had first met Gordon Walker. He remembered the feelings that had raced through him when Sam had gotten back to the motel room and told him that he had been in the vampires nest, that the vampires had caught him. His first thoughts had been that while he had been drinking, trading war stories with Gordon, his brother had been left unprotected. His screwed up emotions after their father's death had almost cost him his brother's life. He had been incredibly lucky that it had been Lenore that had captured Sam because Dean knew that if it had of been another group of Vampires they might not have been so lucky, hence the fact that he was currently strung up in a vampires barn about to be snacked upon.

_There's someone else I want even more._

It still hurt to think about his father. There was so much they didn't know about the man. The more they learned the more it rocked Dean because he'd had a pretty clear picture in his head about what his father was about. Sam found it interesting and soaked up anything they could find about him but a part of Dean wondered what he had missed. They had made a pretty awesome team and he thought he'd known his father better than anyone but even Bobby had known about the storage room, he'd built the freaking curse boxes for him. Why hadn't his father told him about this stuff? They should have had more time with him. He shouldn't have gone out making a damn deal with the very same demon that had ruined their lives … not for him. Dean didn't want that. He never wanted anyone to die in his place but especially not people he knew and loved.

He could feel blood running down his chest and stomach from where Kate had cut him and it put a new spin to the phrase 'chum in the waters' as he looked at the vampires who had entered the barn. "Dammit …" he cursed quietly as his automatic reaction to the situation had him struggling against the ropes he was hanging from.

The new group of vampires consisted of two males and two females. Both males were big, at least as tall as Sam and nasty looking, like some of the tougher guys that Dean tried not to piss off in the various biker bars he had gone too. He didn't want them anywhere near him. He realised his priorities were screwed to hell because the only thing he should have been worried about was getting bled, nothing else, but he really didn't want two dudes feasting off him.

"I think we should get him down."

As Troy looked at Kate to get her permission Dean allowed himself to hope that she would agree. He wasn't going to make this easy on them, not if they were going to try and take his brother anyway.

Kate turned to look at her prey undecided. She didn't want to chance him getting away. She was being extra careful. The fact that pretty much her whole nest had been taken out by just these two brothers weighed on her mind. They worked well as a team and that was the main reason she wanted to capture them separately, one at a time. She also didn't want to underestimate this one. Looking into his eyes she could see the fight building there and she knew that they would have to be very careful.

"I don't know …"

"Kate, having him strung up like this doesn't give us very much access … we'll chain him to the cage. Nothing's going to go wrong," Troy assured her

Kate turned her attention to their brethren, glaring a warning. "Fine, take him down but be careful." She turned back to look at Dean. "I don't trust him."

Dean almost huffed out a laugh. "I'm hurt. Really," he quipped, tensing as the two big Vampires moved forward. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Troy walking over to the opposite wall to the caged side.

Kate smirked as she stood back and allowed the other vampires access. "You will soon. So will your brother …" Kate licked at the blood still on the knife she had used to cut Dean, tasting the hunter's blood. "… and then so will your father. He'll regret ever crossing us."

He wanted to ask her how she was going to make his father suffer when he was already dead. When the man had already been to Hell? How was she going to make him regret any damn thing when he was gone? But his mouth remained shut, lips in a tight thin line as he felt strong meaty hands gripping his legs. He gritted his teeth and would have jumped at the sound of a lever being released had he not been restrained between ropes and blood thirsty vampires.

The pressure put on his shoulders from his own weight was suddenly released. He vaguely registered the sound of the mechanical buzzing sound as more and more of his weight was taken off his arms, his body being supported by the two vampires.

For a moment Dean just relished in the relief in his arms and shoulders. The feeling didn't last long as moments later pain spread across his upper back and shoulders. Painful pins and needles coursed through his previously numb hands and a groan of pain was wrenched from deep in his throat at the sudden onslaught. He didn't know how long he had been left hanging but he assumed it couldn't have been too long. It was still light outside so unless a whole day had passed it could have only been a few hours. Regardless, the circulation returning to the deprived areas of his body still hurt like a bitch.

There was no time to think or to try and make a move even if he could because before he knew it his back was being slammed into the mesh wall, the force of it causing Dean to grunt in pain and clench his eyes shut for a few seconds.

Dean's eyes snapped open at the feeling off hands on his still bound wrists. He tried to pull his hands free to move away from the two mountains on either side of him to no avail. He felt boxed in and he tried to slow his breathing as it picked up in speed. He didn't want to show just how freaked he was about his situation but his body didn't entirely care about putting up an act.

Kate walked up wielding that damn bowie knife again. He remembered the knife more clearly now. He remembered back ten years before when he'd been hunting in the Muir woods, California …

_Dean cried out, as the back of his head hit the ground hard, his ears ringing, drowning out anything else for a moment._

_The three of them had been hunting what they thought was a Nandi Bear, a large hyena type creature about the size of a lion with a bear-like face and a way of walking on two legs, hence the reason behind its name. _

_Sam, in all his fifteen year old indignation had been arguing that his research was right. Nandi Bears weren't known for being in this area, let alone in California, let alone in the freaking country as Sam had so nicely put it. Sam fought against their lifestyle but the thought of hunting a simple bear mistaken for some mythical creature was really getting the kids back up. Dean had to admit that he had been a little bit sceptical after Sam had shown him his research. There hadn't been a bear in the Muir woods for years but that wasn't to say that one wasn't roaming around. But as John had pointed out, it wasn't the first time they had encountered something that wasn't native to the country._

"_Dean! Dad!"_

_His brother's voice shouting for him and their father in panic brought Dean back to his senses and he registered the heavy weight lying on him. His pounding head had him squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, a groan escaping his lips as he brought his hands up and gripped what felt like shoulders. His Dad? His muddled mind started piecing together what he remembered from only moments before. There had been a couple of gunshots before he'd been crushed to the ground. His eyes snapped open and he looked down to the heavy weight lying on his chest, his father's hair tickling his chin. _

"_Dad?" Dean shook the man's shoulders as he felt Sam skid to a stop on his knee's next to him._

"_Dean! Are you okay?" Sam asked in a high pitched voice that he hadn't heard since Sam was a kid. It made Dean wince in pain. _

"_Sam … the bear?" _

"_It's gone … for now," Sam confirmed. "Dean, I'm sorry! Are you okay?"_

"_What the hell was that thing?" Dean didn't recognise that voice. _

_Looking up, past Sam's frightened eyes he found a man in typical hunting attire staring at them with shock in his eyes. Right now Dean didn't care who this guy was. He was more worried about the fact that his Dad still hadn't moved._

_Sam turned to look at the strange man, fire blazing in his eyes. "Fuck off!" Sam was back looking at him, looking down at Dad. "Dad?" Sam shook the man's shoulder, earning a pained groan for his trouble._

"_Dad! Shit …" Dean tried to move out from under the heavy weight, his heart sinking when he felt something wet against his thigh. "Sammy, help me."_

_Sam wordlessly grabbed their Dad's shoulders and eased him off his brother as Dean scooted out from under. "Oh no…"_

_Dean was kneeling beside his brother in an instant. "Fuck! Sam, what the hell?" Dean asked looking at his brother and back to the wound in his Dad's side. It looked like a bullet wound. "Sam?"_

"_He was shot!" Sam clarified uselessly, his eyes locked on their father's bloody side. _

"_I can see that!" Dean snapped as he checked his fathers back seeing that there was no exit wound._

_It was all starting to click together. One minute he's been standing there, looking out for the damn Nandi Bear and next he was being bowled over, gun's firing. His father had pushed him out of the way. What he didn't understand was why he had been in danger of being shot. Both Dad and Sam had been there and that only left one person, someone Dean hadn't even realised was there until a few moments ago. Their Dad lying on his back once again, John started to stir, his brow creased in pain._

"_Dad … Dad, hey … wake up!" Dean tapped John's cheek, urging his father to wake up. He'd had to deal with John in all different conditions over the years and he hated seeing his Dad unconscious. _

"_Shit! I'm sorry! I was aiming for … for that thing." _

_The guy's voice was back and now that the cause of his father's injury was quite clear in his head Dean had no time for the idiot. "Shut up or I'll shut you up."_

"_Dean…"_

"_Dad?" Dean's attention was back on his father as soon as he heard the man's confused voice. "Dad, take it easy okay."_

_John frowned and focused his eyes on Dean and then Sam to finish up on his oldest again. "You okay?" John began moving, trying to sit up, looking around them, probably for the bear._

"_I'm fine!" Dean confirmed._

"_Dad, take it easy! You were shot!" Sam's voice rose and when Dean looked at his brother he saw there was some guilt in his eyes and right now Dean wasn't sure what his brother was feeling guilty for and there wasn't time to worry about that right now. Dad needed their help. _

"_I'm okay … I'm okay." John tried to assure but was stopped from once again trying to rise by Dean's hands on his shoulders._

"_No you're not." Dean turned to Sam. "Dude, help me with him. We need to get him back to the car."_

"_No …"_

"_Its okay, Dad, we're gonna get you out of here." It was a long walk back to the car, through some tough terrain and to make matters worse it was the middle of the night. They had chosen to come at night because of the creatures M.O and because there would be less tourists around the area. It was backfiring against them now._

"_No. The bullet … arghh…" he paused as his actions caused the pain to radiate all over his body. "…the bullet isn't that deep. Get it out."_

"_What?" Sam asked, eyes widening. "Are you crazy?"_

"_Dean … son, my knife."_

_Dean looked down at the bowie knife attached to his father's jeans. "You're kidding me?" _

"_Dude, it'll take you … two s-seconds. It's not deep…"_

"_Dad …" Dean looked at his father, Sam's torch their only light on the moonless night. He knew that his father would outright disagree with going to a hospital, and they should at least wait until they got back home but he also knew that John was considering the long walk back._

_Dean unsheathed the silver bladed Bowie knife from his fathers hip, staring down that the thinner end of the blade. Resolve came over him as he got ready to follow his father's orders ….._

He remembered the hunt well. Sam, for a change, had been wrong in his assumptions. The Nandi Bear had been in the Muir woods. The only way to kill it was to torch it and they had been in the process of luring it into position when a random hunter, who had heard about the killings, had come by thinking he was after a rare grizzly.

The man had fired, but in his panic at the creature he was looking at, his bullet had going wide and had been aiming for Dean. John had pushed him out of the way but had managed to get clipped himself in the process.

His father had been right. The bullet hadn't been deep and it had only taken a couple of moments to dig it out and patch him up with Dean's shirt but he remembered how he had felt knowing he was going to have to use his fathers knife to dig out the bullet in the woods.

Patching up his father from his various wounds over the years never got easier. Every time had been hard and every time he had wished that it was him that had been injured in his fathers place. The same stood for Sam.

"Are you scared yet, Dean?" Kate sauntered up to him with his father's knife.

Dean prepared himself for what was to come and looked her in the eyes. "Sweetheart, you don't scare me." He tried to move again but realised the grip the two vampires had on him was vicelike. "Your breath on the other hand …"

A meaty hand released its grip on his arm only to swing up and catch him hard across the chin in a powerful punch. Pain spread across his lower jaw and the hands holding him against the cage wall tightened almost painfully.

Dean shook his head as Kate stepped forward and in one fluid motion grabbed his bound hands and cut clean through the rope with the knife, showing that the weapon was as sharp as ever. One of their Dad's important rules was to look after your weapons. Looking after your tools could mean the difference between life and death when hunting.

He tried to lash out with his now free arms but the vampires anticipated the move and grabbed both his hands, slamming his back against the cage wall again.

"I'm going to enjoy this one."

Dean didn't recognise that voice as either Kate's or Troy's. That meant that the two apes holding him did actually have voices. How this changed anything he didn't know. In fact he knew it didn't change anything. He wasn't even sure why he was worried about it considering the situation he was in.

"Glad I can accommodate," Dean quipped sarcastically even as his arms still made attempts to break out. He winced as the tight chains bit into his already sore and chaffed wrists.

When he focused back on the problem at hand he found that he was bound to the wall by chains, chains that were already connected to the cage like they had been used for others in his predicament. He shivered as he acknowledged that it was pretty much a certainty that the chains were used frequently.

Once he was secured to the wall the two vampires stepped away. Dean tested the restraints futily. Even though he knew the chains were going to hold he couldn't help continuing to try and pull away. The feeling of being restrained was something that he was sure most people hated. For Dean, he felt closed in … especially when surrounded by hungry vampires.

A hard cold hand on his jaw had him trying to flinch back as the already bruising flesh was gripped. He came face to face with Kate, the light in her eyes flicking in that unnatural way. "It's dinner time, Dean." She said quietly, letting go of his face and standing back, trailing the knife along his arm.

Dean's chest muscles strained in anticipation of what was about to happen. The cold knife tip stopped at the inside of his right elbow before Kate pressed forward drawing a red line of blood as she cut through the skin.

Dean growled through clenched teeth, glaring at Kate as she smiled at her handy work. She moved more quickly now heading straight for Dean's other arm, cutting across the inside of his forearm, watching the blood seep from the deep cut. She leaned forward and pecked him on the lips before turning around and pointing over her shoulder with the bloody knife. "Dig in."

Dean's breathing was coming faster now, pain coming from his sore back and shoulder muscles, pain coming from the burn on his shoulder stinging enough to bring tears prickling in his eyes as it rubbed against the mesh cage, blisters breaking as he struggled.

The two apes were back at his sides and the two females were approaching as Kate and Troy stood back and watched. Troy looked generally amused and pleased. Kate had a look of deep satisfaction on her face.

"You're not eating?" Dean asked, his voice rising a bit in, trying to show that he was okay even when he really was so really not okay with this. He raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore the slowly approaching blood sucking freaks.

"Oh, don't worry about us, baby." Kate winked at him. "We've already had our fill. Nicole? She was extremely tasty."

"You son of a bitch!" Dean yelled out at Troy as he felt the first bite down on the cut on his arm. The bastard had killed the girl. He had kind of been hoping that maybe Nicole had been part of their little vampire group and not a victim like she had so convincingly sounded like.

Once one vampire latched onto his restrained body the others followed suit. Dean couldn't help but gasp in pain as teeth sunk into his flesh. He found the feeling strange as he could feel them suck out his blood. It felt wrong and he wanted it to stop. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to ignore how sick the pain and sensations were making him.

He physically jumped when he felt teeth sink into his neck. "Argh!" He could feel his heart pumping like crazy, his lungs working in overdrive. In his mind he could see himself lashing out, taking them all out in a wild rage just to get the sick fuckers off him but no matter how much he strained against the chains and hands holding him he couldn't get away.

His eyes opened only for him to close them again as he found everything was spinning. Were they going to drain him all at once? Or bleed him out a little bit at a time? He had one thought as light-headedness hit him in full force. He hoped that Sam was safe because he didn't sacrifice himself for Sam to get himself killed this way … any way.

xXx

Sam pulled up outside the bar again, the Impala the only thing keeping him somewhat sane at that moment because it reminded him so much of Dean. He needed to keep his head clear if he wanted to find his brother. It was hard when he was so worried about what had happened to him or what was happening to him right now. With no frame of reference, with no clue as to who they were dealing with it left Sam with only his imagination and that was dangerous because Sam had always thought he had an adventurous imagination.

Dean had been gone without a word for hours now and Sam was really trying to think like it was any other hunt. The problem was that on any other hunt he would have his brother to throw ideas at. Conversations inside your own head were severely overrated as far as Sam was concerned.

Sam killed the engine and opened the door, looking around him, watching for anything or anyone out of the ordinary. Since this thing started Sam had felt like someone was watching him but he hadn't been sure whether it was just him being paranoid or whether they were legitimately being watched. The sensation of being watched seemed to be more intensified during the night. Sam didn't know whether that meant anything but he stored that little piece of information in his mind for later use.

He closed and locked the Impala. He didn't want any surprises and regardless of Dean's need to drive the truck lately Sam knew that his brother's love still lay with the Impala. Dean would kill him if anything happened to the classic.

Sam kept a cautious eye on his surroundings as he walked up to the bar. He opened the door, the soft sounds of the Eagles, "Hotel California" drifted through the door. It was oddly comforting. It was music he had grown up with, along with the other classic bands that had been forced upon him as a child by both his father and brother.

_Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole._

That had been the rule for as long as Sam could remember. Unfortunately for Sam that meant that he almost never got to choose music for their long road trips because all through his life he had been the baby of the family. Dad and Dean had always been the drivers whereas he had always been relegated to shotgun or the back seat. He had bitched about it the older he got but Sam knew that it had been more to do with his resentment towards his father for the normal life that was passing them by.

Right now he would give for anything to have his father in the driver seat, taking control of even the simplest things. If it meant that the man would be alive then Sam would get over his Dad's control issues. No matter what the situation Dad always knew what to do or he at least always had that appearance even if he was just winging it. Dean had that very same quality and Sam had come to rely on it. It was funny the things that you took for granted. You really didn't realise their importance until they were gone and by then it was too damn late to do anything about them.

Ever since Dean's deal, especially, Sam's comfort zone had been wrenched from his loose grip and he was determined as ever to get that comfort zone back but this time he would hold on as tightly as he could because it was so easy for things to slip from your grasp. He knew that now.

He missed his Dad … terribly, and he knew that loosing Dean was going to be that much worse.

The older hunter had only been missing for a few long agonising hours and Sam couldn't take it. How was he going to go when Dean was gone for good? No! He couldn't think like that. He was going to save his brother if it was the last fucking thing he did. He was not loosing anyone else.

Sam entered the bar and noticed that there were more people here than there had been earlier. It was later in the day, edging on evening, so it made sense. He walked over to the bar, scanning the area, the patrons. They were all the typical types you found in small towns like this.

There was nothing out of the ordinary aside from the few suspicious looks he was getting. Small town people were naturally curious and suspicious of new comers and the fact that Sam probably looked like he wanted to kill someone at this point would make it quite reasonable for the looks he was receiving. Sam still kept on alert though. Even if this was all normal, that didn't mean that something wasn't there under the surface.

If they had been followed and watched Sam had the feeling that whoever it was wasn't going to stop. They might have had Dean but anyone who knew them even a little would know that Sam wouldn't stop until he found them.

"Sam?"

Sam turned at the voice calling his name and found Reaghan coming out from the back with a cautious yet curious look on her face. "Hey," Sam greeted.

"Did you catch up with your brother, hun?" She wiped her hands on the small apron around her waste as she closed the distance between her and Sam.

"No. That's why I'm here…"

"Maybe he just needed some time out." Reaghan suggested. She didn't know these boys from a bar of soap but anyone could tell that Sam was a little freaked and a lot pissed.

"Look I don't expect you to understand, okay." Sam began his voice raising. "But something is very wrong and I won't stop until I find him."

He doubted Reaghan had anything to do with Dean disappearing but he wasn't taking chances with anyone. He was a little surprised when Reaghan grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the door leading to the back area and bathrooms.

"What the hell?" Sam barked, wrenching his arm out of her grasp.

"Sam, I don't care what the hell is going on but you going around yelling at people doesn't help anyone … least of all your brother."

Sam deflated as he realised what an idiot he was being. How had Dean reacted all the times Sam had gone missing? Somehow Sam thought that Dean had kept more of a cool head … on the outside anyway. Reaghan was right. He needed to calm down, however hard that was.

"You're right."

"I know I am."

She gave him a warm smile and patted him on the arm before standing back. She had a friendly face. It was a face that looked like you could trust. Sam didn't know this woman but he had a feeling that she generally cared. Why? He wasn't sure why but it made him feel better.

Sam ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at Reaghan. "I know I sound crazy …"

Reaghan shook her head before Sam finished his sentence. "You don't sound crazy, Sam. You sound worried. I have a baby brother who is actually in his mid thirty's and quite capable of taking care of himself. That doesn't mean I don't worry about him."

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" Sam asked his brows rising in hopefulness.

"Sure, honey. How about we go back outside and I get you a drink and we sit and talk?"

Sam didn't want to be sitting on his ass doing nothing but he also had nothing else to go on. He needed more in depth information and talking to a local might give him more of a clue. He nodded. "Okay…"

"Good. You go out there and find us a seat and I'll be right out."

Sam watched Reaghan walk away into the back kitchen. He was tired. Looking at his watch he decided he would call Bobby as soon as he finished with Reaghan and see how far away he was. He had to be getting close. He was actually surprised that the man hadn't showed already.

He made a short detour to the bathroom, in which he left the door wide open; Sam splashed water on his face. Ignoring his reflection in the mirror, Sam walked out of the hallway and back into the bar. Finding a booth along the wall on the opposite side to where the pool tables were situated. It wasn't long before Reaghan was walking towards him with two beers in hand. Once she was seated across from him and Sam had taken a long gulp of his beer, he looked her in the eyes.

"So … what's on your mind, Sam?"

Sam looked around the room once before bringing his attention back to her. "You said you didn't know who called my brother, right?"

"That's right."

"Has there been any new people or families moved into town?" They had never been to Encampment. Maybe that meant that the person or people he was after hadn't been here long.

"There's one family that moved into a house on 4th street, right near the end of it near the cemetery. They probably moved in maybe a month ago. The town is getting smaller and smaller so we don't get a lot of new folk here."

Sam nodded in understanding. "What's their name? Do you know them well?"

"Not really." Reaghan answered, playing with her glass of beer. "They've only been here a month. Even still I doubt they would be a danger to your brother. They seem nice."

Sam appreciated her help but she didn't know the danger that could lurk in even the most normal things. With no idea who this person was and why they had a grudge against them or their Dad, Sam couldn't leave any stone unturned. "Is their anything you can tell me? Any strange behaviour?"

"Nope, sorry, Sam," Reaghan replied, looking at Sam with a kind yet sympathetic expression. "I mean every town has their different characters but there's been nothing out of the ordinary for around here."

Sam downed his beer and stood up. This was the second time he had checked the bar out and Reaghan still couldn't tell him anything more. "Thanks …"

"Wait a minute." She grabbed hold of his sleeve and gestured for him to sit back down. "There is one other thing. It might not mean anything but since you're so worried I thought I would mention it."

Sam was literally perched on the edge of his seat, hoping that whatever Reaghan was going to tell him would be what he needed to find his missing brother. "What?"

"Well I didn't notice anything at first because I wasn't looking for it. But you have been drawing attention to yourself ever since you walked in with your brother."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked confused.

"There were two girls watching you earlier. I only mention it because I saw one of them walk into the back after you did when you got locked in the bathroom. I didn't think anything of it before but it seemed relevant now. "

"Are they here now?" Sam asked trying not to search the area obviously even though he thought his actions had made it quite obvious that he was looking for something or someone.

Reaghan turned in her seat and too a quick mental survey of the room. She turned back to Sam with a shake of her head. "No … I can't see them, anyway."

"Do you know who they are?"

Again Reaghan shook her head. "Sorry, we aren't the only bar in town, honey. They don't frequent here I'm afraid."

"That's okay." Sam gave her a thankful smile.

Coming back to the bar had been the right thing to do. He honestly believed that Reaghan was innocent and now that she'd had time to think, to see how deadly serious he was that his brother was in danger she had given him more than he'd had moments before. It was a starting point. Someone had been watching them and someone had locked him in the bathroom. Now he just needed to find out where they were.

There were two remaining bars in town. It always amazed Sam that no matter how big or small the town, there was still always a church and a bar sometimes a couple of bars. It was pretty much a constant he could rely on. Now he just had to find the right one and get some answers.

"Did you get a good look at them?"

"I did."

Sam walked out of the bar still having no idea where his brother was or what was happening to him but he had more information than he'd had when he'd walked back inside. Two females, one dark hair and one blonde, both had been watching him and Dean, the blonde one had followed him into the back and Sam was willing to bet it had been her that had locked him inside. Reaghan had said they had both looked relatively young and Sam, for the life of him was trying to think of any women they had come across in the past. For two seconds he had entertained the idea that one of Dean's conquests had come back with a vengeance but the thought had stopped before it even started. This was way too personal and seemed directed at all of them.

He needed to call Bobby. The man should have been there by now or at least pretty damn close. The phone rang out. Sam pulled the device away from his ear and looked at it in frustration. Why the hell wasn't Bobby answering? The thought crossed his mind that maybe Bobby himself was in trouble. But what could have happened to him from the airport to town? He knew the answer to that well. In their lives anything could happen. Dean had been missing for far too long and it was nearing dark. Sam needed to get answers with or without Bobby's help.

TBC ...

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So ... worried? More trouble is definately coming :) As always your thoughts and comments are always appreciated and since we're heading into another weekend I hope you have an awesome one :D As far as I know at the moment I'm up for a Supernatural Saturday with some friends and other fans and then a haunted tour of Melbourne. Should be fun:D Whatever you're doing this weekend have a great time:)

Tara x0x


	10. Dad's Not Here

**Authors Note:** I have no excuse for how long it has taken me to update this story. The only thing I can possibly use is that Real Life can be bitch with finding time. April is a crap month. It's had some exciting things happen in it but I'll be happy to see it gone lol Thanks for all the reviews and everyone just simply reading. I appreciate you all more than you know! So Thank You!! Thanks to **Angelustatt **and My mother for their very valuable help with this. I couldnt get through this without you two ;)

Before I continue I would also like to send out a very special message to **Gaelicspirit** even though I have already told her a dozen times hehe **GET WELL SOON! **I wish you a very speedy recovery. Take it easy and I hope you and everyone else enoy this chapter!!

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**Chapter 10. Dad's Not Here**

Racing down highways at break neck speeds usually wasn't a problem. He knew his cars, he knew how to handle a vehicle, so speeding had never been a problem, especially if said speeding was necessary to keep two numbskulls that he happened to care about out of trouble … or in this case _getting_ said numbskulls out of trouble. That was harder than it looked.

Looking at the dinted front end of the fairly new Taurus Bobby held a hand to his sore head and cursed the stupid car. The front end had crumbled in upon impact. His head had faired better than the damn car. He was still in a little bit of shock. One minute he had been driving towards Encampment and the next there was a loud noise and he was trying to control the car as it suddenly veered off the road, into a freaking speed limit sign no less. He didn't care for the irony and he couldn't believe that out of miles of clear road he ran into the one speed sign.

Hand still pressed to his head, Bobby walked around the car, trying to find the cause of his sudden predicament. It wasn't as if he really needed this kind of trouble, or could afford it. Dean was god knows where, in god knows what condition and Sam was panicking in his brothers absence and Bobby just didn't trust that those Winchester genes to sit still and wait. If Bobby was honest with himself he knew that it wasn't just a Winchester thing he knew that if he and Sam were to swap places that he would probably be less erratic but still as worried and likely to try something on his own. Bobby had something to do right now, whether it was driving or working out why he suddenly wasn't driving, whereas Sam has sitting there in that town waiting while his brother was missing and Bobby was taking forever to get there. It would drive anyone crazy.

The culprit was spotted straight away as Bobby rounded the car. The back tire was flat, it looked torn and Bobby guessed the fishtailing that had occurred as he'd tried to get control back hadn't helped. He stood back for a moment just staring at the tire, cursing it in his head. But it was okay. A busted tire was fixable. He could change a tire in his sleep. The front was dinted in but he was sure it would be driveable. It was a good thing he had never decided to actually return the car.

Bobby lifted his hat and rubbed at his head, wincing as his fingers pressed against a bruise that was already forming on the side of his head. Fitting the cap back on his head gingerly Bobby went to the trunk, opening it, intent of getting to the spare tyre.

Pulling the tyre out of the trunk Bobby stilled as he dropped it to the ground. "Oh you've gotta be kidding." He growled as the tyre dropped flatly and fell to its side. The spare was flat. Bobby lashed out with his foot kicking the tyre to then kick the back of the car, growling when the force of his kick reverberated through his foot.

Hand on hips, Bobby stood there for a moment trying to work out what he was going to do. It was kind of hard to change a tyre when the spare was just as freaking useless as the flat tyre itself. Out of all the crap that was going on, out of all the trouble the boys were in at the moment and a simple tyre problem was keeping Bobby from getting to them. He couldn't believe his luck.

He needed to call Sam. Rushing to the still open driver's side door, Bobby leaned in looking for his cell phone. He remembered he had chucked it on the passenger seat after his phone call with a frantic Sam. It wasn't there. Bobby frowned and leaned in further looking to the floor, reaching his hand underneath the seat when the passenger floor came up empty. The only thing he could find was glass. '

Bobby pulled back in his search and looked at the glass littering the front passenger seat and floor. That obviously hadn't been there before. He pulled out of the driver's side and walked around to the passenger side, looking about the ground around the car for his missing phone.

The pole hadn't hit the window but the force of the hit could have flung his phone through the glass. It would explain the broken window and the fact that his phone was missing. He hoped now that he could actually find the thing and then once he found it he prayed that it still worked.

It took a good few minutes but eventually the silver casing of his cell phone was found, the casing, not the phone itself. "Damn." He muttered, looking around the ground where he had found the casing for the phone itself.

A few feet away from where Bobby was standing he spotted the rest of his phone. The cell phone was scratched and looked like crap. Looking at the screen he saw that it was off. He pressed the button to turn it on to no avail. The thing was dead.

Dropping his arms to his sides, cell phone and casing in each hand, Bobby looked up to the cloudy sky, silently wondering what else could go wrong.

xXx

"_Funny! But that's all part of your M.O isn't it? Mask all that nasty pain, mask the truth." _

_His fathers face sneered as the older man's body was forced to walk towards him. God only knew what the demon had planned for them but right now it didn't matter because it was doing what Dean wanted. He'd gotten the demon's attention away from his little brother and that's all that mattered. He could take whatever came._

"_Oh yeah? What's that?" he asked, not entirely sure he was going to like where this was going._

_Dean stared straight into his fathers eyes, except they weren't John's. It wasn't just the different colour that reminded Dean of that. It was the look in them. The Native Americans believed that a person's eyes were the windows to their soul. Looking into his Dad's eyes right now Dean could believe that to be true. He knew John was in there somewhere but right now all he could see was the cold hard eyes of the demon that had destroyed their lives._

"_You know you fight and fight for this family but the truth is? They don't need you, not like you need them."_

_Dean remained staring into eyes so familiar, stained in an unfamiliar yellow as he tried not to let what the demon was saying get to him. This was what Demons did. They liked to screw with your head. The problem with now was that Dean knew deep down that it wasn't lying. Sam and John had both left him at some point. Everybody left. No matter how much he needed these people in his life they obviously didn't need him as much because both Sam and John had seemed to be fine on their own. It was painful but it was a truth that he had buried deep inside because he couldn't show them how much it hurt him. They didn't need to be burdened with what he needed._

"_Sam?" _

_The demon motioned with John's head to behind him where Sam was pinned to the other wall but the yellow eyes stayed on Dean's almost moist green ones. Dean couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from his fathers face. He felt like if he looked away, broke the spell that he would break, he would crumble and wouldn't be able to pick up the pieces. _

"_He's clearly John's favourite. Even when they fight? It's more concern than he's ever shown you."_

_Dean mentally flinched at the way his father's expression and voice had been used to dig burning holes in Dean's psyche, in his heart. He tried to remind himself that it was the demon talking. It wasn't John. The older hunter was possessed. But a part of Dean couldn't help but wonder how much of what the demon was saying was true. The fact that he was even contemplating it gave him his answer. Sometimes it did feel that way. Growing up, Dean had craved the training, obeyed his fathers orders without question and it was hard sometimes but if it made his father proud, if it helped to keep his father safe, if it helped to keep his little brother safe then he could handle it._

"_I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em." Dean smiled, trying to keep up the appearance of being unaffected._

_His eyes, glistening with moisture, remained locked on his fathers. The slight smirk that formed on the man's face was unsettling to say the least. He wasn't exactly sure what reaction he had been expecting but whatever it was? This wasn't it._

_John took a step back, his now yellow eyes never leaving the younger mans. Dean couldn't look away. As much as he tried to remind himself that this was the demon, it was hard. It was still his father's body, his fathers face. Even if they somehow miraculously got out of this alive Dean knew that he would never forget this moment, he would never forget those words in his own fathers voice, his own fears taunting him._

_Dean could only watch as John's eyes closed, his head lowering only for it to rise again. There was a moment of confusion in Dean before the pain hit, white hot pain that made him cry out involuntarily. _

_He could hear his brother's voice calling out his name. The fear in it made Dean want to try to keep quiet, to stop vocalising his pain but he couldn't help by cry out again, throwing his head back against the wood he was pinned to._

_It felt like his insides were being ripped apart, his heart squeezed. Dean brought his head forward again with a choked gasp as he looked down and saw rivulets of red streaming down his chest from wounds that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Despite the strain on his heart Dean could feel it racing and stuttering and his breathing picked up at an alarming rate. He could hear Sam struggling against the invisible bonds keeping him pinned to the wall and he could feel the kid's panic as if it were his own. He __**was**__ panicking. _

_Dean drew his head up, his eyes leaving the blood pouring from his body and looked up into his fathers face, pleading. "Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!"_

_Dean had never asked his father for anything. He didn't beg or plead. As long as his father and brother were safe, even if they weren't with him, he was okay. He had wanted a lot of things over the years but he had never spoken these wishes aloud to his father, always pushing his needs and wants aside for his family, for others in need. _

_He didn't want to die. He would willingly for either his father or his brother but he didn't __**want**__ to die, especially not at the hands of his own father. Whatever the truth was, Dean knew that John would never forgive himself for what was happening and Dean didn't want that for him. So for once in his life he was begging, pleading with his father to be strong enough to save him. _

_John's eyes were focused in on the blood still soaking his t-shirt red but he looked up at his son's plea. His face was still emotionless but with an underlying enjoyment in his yellow eyes and the pain was excruciating as Dean felt his insides twist and tear. He couldn't stop the cry of pain that was torn from his throat, leaning his head back against the splintered would, almost choking on panted breaths that were fighting to come._

_Sam's scream of his name only intensified his pain and fear. What would happen once the demon had finished with him? What would that mean for his little brother? He was a failure. He was going to die at the hands of his own father and leave his family to their fate. The thought of not being able to protect them almost caused Dean's breathing to seize up entirely with panic._

_Dean let his head drop again, gasping for air as he watching his blood literally flow from the wounds on his chest to land at his feet in an ever growing pool of red. He could feel the blood leaving his body at a startling rate, his heart trying to work overtime to compensate. He could hear his heart beating loudly in his ears. It was pounding and he was starting to feel dizzy, like his head weighed a hundred pounds. _

_His breathing started to become wet as his lungs and throat were filled with thick life giving liquid. He almost choked on it as it forced its way up, filling his mouth to the point that he felt like he was breathing through mud, the coppery taste was almost overwhelming. _

_Dean slowly lifted his heavy head, blood escaping the confines of his mouth and dribbling past his lips onto his chin as he looked up at his fathers face. Pained eyes filled with desperation and sorrow locked onto the yellow eyes his father now bore, looking past the demon and trying to find his father anywhere._

_John was a hero. He'd always had this stupid childish belief that his father could do anything, knew everything, could beat anything and it was that belief that he was clinging to now as everything else seemed to spin and seem fuzzy._

"Dad, please."

"Daddy's not here, Dean … not yet."

Dean gasped. His father's emotionless yellow eyes faded, as did the taste of blood in his mouth.

The frown already marring his face deepened, his forehead creasing in confusion. For a moment he couldn't remember where he was. The memory of that night at the cabin had been so vivid. It was like he had felt everything again for a second time.

But that voice didn't belong in that cabin. That voice brought some sort of sick clarity to him even as he felt fuzzy and dazed. His father wasn't possessed by the demon and he wasn't trying to kill him. The hope he had been clinging to that his father would be strong enough to stop what was happening to him was gone and in its place was the memory of John's death, his sacrifice.

That crushing pain of loss hit him again, hard, and he almost choked on a sob that he covered with a shuddered breath.

He felt like he was being drained and wondered why. Hadn't it just been a bad memory? There was a coldness that had settled over him and once again he could feel his heart beating rapidly in his ears. It had just been a memory. He wasn't back in the cabin … was he? His mind felt sluggish, making it hard to concentrate. "What …" he mumbled before trying to swallow and finding his throat sore.

"You're not fading out on me again are you, Dean?"

There was that voice again, wading its way through the fog in his mind. It was familiar but not in a good way and he felt himself trying to pull back.

He couldn't move. That alone made panic return. He felt boxed in, surrounded. His body responded automatically before he even had a chance to think anything through and struggled against whatever was holding him. Pain from various parts of his body made them selves known.

Dean groaned low in his throat and tried to raise his heavy head. Opening his eyes took a little more effort but eventually they fluttered open to fall to half mast but it was enough to catch sight of his immediate surroundings in a blur.

He definitely wasn't in the small cabin with his father and brother. He could see blurry figures. Dean blinked a few more times trying to clear his vision, breathing in quick panted breaths. The feeling of being crowded came over him. People were close to him, touching him. "Get off me." Dean frowned when he heard himself slur, not exactly exuding the authority he had been going for.

Nothing was said for long moments and all Dean could feel was pain followed by suction, his blood being drained from his body. Flashes of his father's possession and the blood flowing from his body passed through his mind again as he could feel himself getting weaker and weaker.

They were drinking from him. Kate. Dean's eyes widened slightly, showing his glassy green orbs, as his confusion fell away a little. Kate had set them up, he'd walked into her trap and now her vampire friends were snacking on him. Where was Sam? Wait … Sam was safe, wasn't he?

"Back off now," Kate ordered from where she was standing next to Troy.

Dean sent a silent thanks to whoever was listening. He wanted them off him, needed them off him. He felt like he was spinning. He fought back a moan as he felt teeth retract from his body and the cool air hit his bloody bite marks, blood trickling from the wounds. Relief washed over him for a moment before his mental celebration was cut short.

"I said back off," Kate yelled again and Dean flinched. "Now!" Kate warned her voice low and dark.

The next thing Dean felt was sharp pain as vampire teeth were ripped from his throat.

"Argh!" he cried out. He vaguely heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh further away. He could feel blood dripping from his neck, down his chest. His head dropped forward now that he wasn't surrounded by vampires, now that one of them wasn't feasting on his throat.

A shiver ran through his body and he realised now that he was trembling.

Dean's head was suddenly pushed back and something was placed against his throat over the bleeding bite. He pulled at his restraints weakly to no effect. "Fuck off."

"Sorry, buddy, can't do that." Dean opened his eyes and saw Troy standing in front of him, felt the pressure on his throat increase. "Not before Kate get what she wants anyway." Troy smirked.

There was nothing more he could do but hang there with Troy actually trying to stop him from bleeding. He wished that they would make up their freaking minds because he was tired.

The weakness and pain that washed over him now wasn't all that different from how he had felt at the cabin, in the back of the Impala right before his fuzzy world had collapsed into nothingness.

He hadn't even seen the semi coming. He'd just been sitting there trying his hardest to breathe, to stay with them because Sam had all but begged him to stay with them and Dean had never been able to deny Sam anything. So he had put all his concentration on breathing, that and listening to Sam trying to reason with their father.

He opened his eyes, heavy lids making the job so much harder than it should have been and looked down at Troy. The vampire wasn't even looking at him. He was looking back at where Dean assumed the others were and this would have been the perfect time to make a move, break for an escape, but he couldn't move. His arms were barely still struggling against the chains holding him in place. He didn't even know why he was still pulling at them. It should have been clear to him by now that he wasn't going to be able to bust out but there was something in him that wouldn't stop fighting even if it was pointless to try.

Dean's eyes slipped closed again even as he fought to remain conscious. He could feel his blood soaking the rag the vampire was holding to his neck. He shivered as he broke out into a cold sweat.

Through the blood pumping in his ears and his quick tight breaths Dean could hear the wind pick up outside, like it did before a thunderstorm. The weather had been cold all day and he wouldn't be surprised if a storm was on the way. It would make a perfect setting for the shit he had managed to get himself into.

The rag was removed, with it the hand holding him up. Dean's head dropped forward, the shock of it making his eyes spring open for a moment. Troy wasn't there anymore but Dean couldn't celebrate because he still wasn't alone.

"Wake up."

"Huh?" he asked confusion heavy in his voice. Kate was standing in front of him, staring at him with hate. Even with his vision blurring in and out he could see the hate visible.

"Where's your father?"

_10.41 am. _

_He had believed for so long that nothing could take his father out but there he was lying motionless on a hospital bed as medical staff ceased working on him. _

_Dean wanted to scream at them not to stop, to keep working but he couldn't get the words past his lips. He was barely standing there as sad and sympathetic eyes turned to him and Sam. He didn't want their sympathy. He wanted his father. It didn't even matter that John had scared the crap out of him with his whispered revelation. He just wanted the man to wake up. _

_The longer he stood there, staring at his Dad's body the more Dean, himself, died a little. He didn't even realise he had moved away from Sam's hold until he felt the cool metal rails along the side of John's bed under his hands. _

_He knew that Sam was behind him. He could hear the agony in Sam's voice as he told, more than asked, the nurses to let them have a minute, to leave his brother alone, and as much as Dean wanted to soothe his brother's pain away he couldn't stop staring with wide eyes at his fathers unmoving form._

_His father was dead_

That time, that morning, would be etched in Dean's mind forever and he wanted to kill her for reminding him. It wasn't bad enough that he thought about it all the time? Now he had some psycho vampire making him repeat it time and time again.

Closing his eyes and letting his head drop back down again Dean slurred. "I told you."

A hand whipped out connecting with his cheekbone, something hard like a ring tore at his flesh. "And I said you're lying."

His head spinning, Dean tried to focus on the crazy bitch in front of him. "What … what do you want me to say?" he blinked a few times trying to keep his eyes open.

"It doesn't matter."

Dean raised a brow even as his eyelids wanted to slide shut again. "Don't suppose that means … you'll let me go?"

"Think again."

The barn door rattled loudly as a fast wind blew into it, making Dean flinch. A storm was definitely brewing outside and from the sounds of things it was getting worse. Dean would have rather been out battling the coming storm than where he was. He would have preferred to be anywhere than where he was right now.

"Thinking's overrated," he breathed, smirking to himself as he thought about Sam. The younger hunter probably would have rolled his eyes at the comment … or something, especially since _not_ thinking most probably played a very big part in their current situation.

Kate just smiled at him, took two fingers and wiped blood off his bare chest, sucking them into her mouth. She closed her eyes like she tasted something fantastic. It was probably akin to the expression he wore every time he had that first Peanut M&M from the packet … if you listened to Sam.

"Well? Get comfortable, Dean, and if you're a good boy I'll bring you some company. I'm sure your brother misses you by now."

Dean frowned as another shiver ran through him. He shook his head which only caused the room to spin faster. "No …" Sam was supposed to be safe. That's why he was here right now. They were supposed to leave Sam alone. But then he had never really believed that they would just leave his brother alone. Dean was just biding time, biding time for Sam and Bobby to come and save his sorry ass.

"See ya soon, baby."

Dean watched as Kate walked away, his vision fading in and out as he continued to shiver. He didn't know where the others had gone, whether they had already left. He didn't really care. He couldn't stop shaking.

Groaning, Dean leaned his head back against the mesh cage, covered in blood and a light sheen of sweat.

Seeing Sam here was something that he wanted badly and it was something that he didn't want just as bad.

He felt sick; he could feel his body giving out on him. He had lost a lot of blood; they had taken a lot of blood from him. The feeling of the vampires draining him, drinking from him, was something that he couldn't even explain. It was something that he didn't want to go through again. Dean wanted Sam to come because he desperately wanted to get out of this. But then the thought of Sam coming here and getting himself caught and going through the same thing was even worse than the idea of going through it again by himself.

Sam needed to stay safe. That one mantra had been in his head since Sam was born but especially since the fire that took away their mother all of those years ago. His father had given him one very important job. Sam. It was his job to keep Sam safe, to protect him. It was the most important job that Dean had ever had and it was the one job that he'd never actually _had_ to be told. Right from when his Mom and Dad had told him that he would be a big brother he had vowed to be the best big brother ever. He wasn't sure whether he had accomplished that but he had always put Sam's welfare above all else.

How was he supposed to keep Sam safe when he couldn't even break free? He had no doubt that Sam would be coming for him. But would Sam know what he was walking into? Sam was a good hunter and he had the colt but against a group of vampires by himself, or just him and Bobby? Dean didn't like those odds. Hell, Dean wasn't even sure how many Vampires they were talking about. The more he thought about it the harder he found it to breathe.

Kate wouldn't believe that John was dead. She was blinded by her need for revenge and Dean knew that as soon as she realised he was telling the truth? Things were going to get very ugly, very fast.

Pulling against the chains holding him only elicited a gasp from the bound hunter, his injured shoulder igniting in a burning pain. His whole body was sore and tired and he could feel consciousness trying to claim him.

Dean fought to stay conscious, blinking slowly but it was no use. His vision was greying out. Unable to fight it anymore, Dean's head slumped forward as he fell unwillingly into the darkness.

xXx

The sky was darker as Sam left the last bar. It was a combination of dark storm clouds and the time of day. Looking up Sam entertained the idea that the storm clouds were an extension of his mood right now. He was angry and scared to hell but he had something to go on and that was a lot more than what he had earlier.

After a little _convincing _the bar owner had told Sam that he did in fact know the girls that he was asking about and that he did know where they lived. Sam had never been someone to physically attack someone unless there was no other choice and usually it was only in defence. He had learnt the hard way what it cost to be the nice guy all the time. Being the nice guy had gotten him killed in Cold Oak, being the nice guy had gotten Dean a one way ticket to hell. He was through with playing the nice guy, especially when it involved protecting his brother. Nothing was going to take Dean away from him, not the hunt, not the demon holding his contract and definitely not some twisted psycho out for revenge. Sam had spent enough time taking his brother for granted, always being the one who was looked after and now it was his turn. He owed it to his brother to get him out of that damn demon deal and he owed it to his brother to save him now. Protectiveness wasn't mutually exclusive to the older brother.

Stepping out and walking across the small paved parking lot Sam fished out his keys and unlocked the Impala. He paused halfway getting into the car and looked around the lot. He had been sure he'd sensed something but all he could see right now was a few cars and one old guy who'd just walked off the street and into the bar.

This feeling of being watched was getting more pronounced and he was sick of it. He'd first thought he was just being paranoid but he knew now, for sure, that someone had been watching him on and off. He didn't have any evidence, just a gut feeling.

Still not seeing anyone, Sam slid in behind the wheel of his brother's beloved car and was about to start the engine when he caught movement to his right. He pulled his hand back and reached under the seat to where he knew they had stashed the colt last. He tried to look to his right without being obvious about it. Two cars away was a normal non-descript car with extremely dark tinted windows. He was sure he could see a silhouette of at least two people and that was good enough for him. It could have easily been nothing but Sam wasn't willing to believe in mere coincidences.

"_I dunno … random coincidence?" Dean shrugged. "It happens."_

"_Well yeah it happens, but not to us."_

Sam heard that conversation in his head like it had happened yesterday. Those words had been said back when they'd ran into Meg in Chicago, right before their Dad had shown up again. It was the truth all that time ago and it was the truth now.

He took the colt in his hand and covered it with the inside of his jacket before opened the door with a familiar squeak. He moved quickly around the back of the cars and up alongside the front driver side door just as the occupants started it up. Sam had the door yanked open and the colt aimed before the car was put in gear.

Everyone paused. Sam's intense glare at finding a brunette and a blonde female in the car soon turned to a little bit of shock. He cocked his head to the side as he stared down at the two girls. He recognised one of them. He didn't have a name to go with the face but he remembered her just the same.

Both girls were squinting and almost squirming in their seats as light shone into the car and it just confirmed Sam's suspicions.

"_Hey … hey, hey shh. I'm here to help you." Sam told her, his eyes widening as he received and inhuman scream in return. It was too late to save her. They had turned her._

"_Once a vampire gets your scent it's for life."_

"_Vampires mate for life."_

He could hear his father's voice in his head clear as day. It all made some kind of sense now. He remembered the vampire, Kate's, unholy scream of her lovers name after his father had shot him in the head. The Vampire in the car now was that same girl he'd tried to free; she'd been the vampire that had dragged Kate back to the car. He hadn't even really had time to think about them after that but now his father's words came back to haunt him. They should have thought about it.

"What have you done to my brother?" His voice was dark and calm. The knowledge that vampires had his brother made his sense of panic heighten considerably.

"Sorry?"

Her fake confused expression just made Sam even angrier. "I asked you a question." He wasn't leaving until he got what he wanted from them … at whatever means necessary.

Sam knew the instant she gave up pretending and held the colt firmly in his grasp. He saw her eye it with a little unease. She remembered that this wasn't just any gun. She'd seen that gun kill that vampire.

"He's still alive if that's what you want to know."

He's still alive. He felt his heart jump at that news and he silently thanked god that he wasn't too late … yet. "Where are they keeping him?"

"Somewhere…"

"Look!" Sam shouted. "I'm not messing around. Tell me where you're holding him … NOW!" He smiled inwardly as both girls jumped at the loud command. Damn straight they should be fearful of him. Like he'd said, he wasn't messing around.

"He … he's in the barn."

He was a little surprised that they had picked something so totally obvious but it didn't matter as long as he got Dean back.

"How many of you are there?"

The blonde vampire leaned forward and sneered. "Enough."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only answer you're going to get, kid."

Sam was about to tell her where she could stick it when suddenly the car was moving. He reacted pulling the trigger, hitting his mark. The driver, the human turned vampire that he'd once tried to save slumped forward, blue sparks flying. He reacted quickly and was pulling the hammer back even as the blonde vampire was trying to flee from the car. The vampire dropped to the ground mid run, blue sparks igniting before she looked like any other gun shot victim.

People were coming out of the bar, having heard the gunshots and Sam sprinted back to the Impala, wasted no time in gunning the engine and spinning out of the parking lot as fast as he could.

His heart was pounding in his chest. It was times like these that he wished that they drove a different car. He had learned to love the Impala, maybe not obsess over it like his brother but he had learnt to love her … but she stood out and considering their line of work? Their status with the cops? It wasn't such a good thing. Of course asking Dean to get rid of her? Even just leaving her hidden at Bobby's for a while would be as bad as asking him to give up his own child. It wasn't ever going to happen. This life had taken a lot of things from Dean but apparently it wasn't taking his brother or his car. Sam hoped it was in that order.

Chucking the smoking colt onto the passenger seat Sam sped away back towards the way he had come. He knew where he was going. He hadn't needed the vampires for that and he wasn't sorry about killing them. They were blood thirsty killers that wouldn't be stopped. So Sam didn't feel sorry that he had killed them because he had known from the moment he had realised who they were that he couldn't let them live. He couldn't have them going back and warning the rest of them. What he did feel sorry about was the fact that he hadn't managed to save that girl. Now that he had seen her again it weighed heavily on him. She had been a normal girl and then had been suddenly turned into a monster. It wasn't her fault and yes he did feel sorry for that.

He turned on the windshield wipers as rain started to fall and ran a hand through his hair tiredly. Right now his main thought was getting to his brother before they did kill him. There was a voice in the back of his mind that told him he should wait for Bobby but he knew Dean was in serious trouble and he now knew where he was. Bobby wasn't answering his phone so Sam was going to do the only logical thing in his mind … save his brother.

xXx

Bobby growled as he shifted his duffle over his shoulder. He'd gone from speeding down the road to walking along the side of it. Murphy's Law had struck and struck hard and Bobby wondered what the hell they had done to deserve the crap that they continued to cop. With all the good they had done in the world couldn't they catch one break? Just one wasn't too much to ask was it? Apparently it was because he still had no form of transport and Bobby knew that he was going to be too late to stop Sam doing something drastic.

He felt like kicking himself. He should have checked the spare tire. One would assume that when renting a car you wouldn't have to but then it was stupid to assume anything, especially in their line of work. He should have checked the spare but he'd been in such a rush that it hadn't even crossed his mind. He tried to tell himself that he couldn't have known his tire would blow out but it didn't matter because if something happened to those boys he would never forgive himself. Despite their differences, despite the falling out they'd had? He and John had been good friends. They'd had some good times amongst the bad and those boys were practically the only family he had left. Losing either of them would kill him. It was why he had reacted the way he had when he'd taken Dean into the junkyard after the boy had turned up with a very much alive Sam. Losing John had hurt. Losing Sam had hurt more even though they'd gotten him back. He was in no way prepared to lose Dean and he never would be.

Bobby walked along the road, thoughts of death and responsibility weighing him down like a wet blanket. He jumped as a loud clap of thunder sounded throughout the sky. Looking up he could see the dark clouds making the sky even darker.

"Great," he grumbled. It was just what he needed. It looked as though it was going to teem down at any moment. Murphy and his fucking law could go screw themselves.

Bobby shivered as a large raindrop fell on the back of his neck and rolled into the collar of his vest. One rain drop followed another and before long rain was coming down hard. Hands in his pockets, Bobby trudged on, cursing weather and Winchesters.

He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he almost hadn't heard the car. Turning around, Bobby saw a red van heading towards him, heading in the direction that he needed to go. He stopped, squinting through the rain and holding out a hand hoping that the driver saw him and stopped.

To his relief the van slowed to a stop and he opened the passenger side door. Inside sat a man about his age, clean cut but quite obviously a country man. He just looked like he belonged here. None of that mattered though. If the guy could get him to Sam then he could be the freaking pope for all Bobby would care.

"You need a lift?"

"Yeah." Bobby nodded, trying not to shiver as the rain continued to come down. "You going anywhere near Encampment?"

"Yep, you're in luck. I'm driving right through there." The guy told Bobby, gesturing for him to get inside. "Get in."

Bobby chucked his duffle on the floor on the passenger side and then pulled himself up onto the seat. Hitchhiking wasn't exactly the safest mode of transport but Bobby was confident he could look after himself. Nothing was going to stop him from getting to Encampment. Besides Bobby thought he was a good sense of character.

"Thanks. I can't thank you enough." It was true. If this guy hadn't of stopped then god only knew how long he might have been walking. He held out a hand. "Name's Bobby."

"Carl … and its fine. I know what it's like to be stranded."

Bobby nodded to Carl and then looked out of the front window as the van started moving again. He had this insane urge to steal the wheel from Carl and take over the driving. Speeding hadn't helped his cause last time and now it was raining, but the need to get there as soon as possible was still very much there.

He turned back to Carl. "I don't mean to push my luck but you wouldn't mind speed'n up a little would ya?"

"In a hurry?" Carl put his foot down a little more, speeding up as fast as he would dare in the conditions.

Bobby fought the urge to roll his eyes since Carl had been nice enough to stop for him but he silently wondered why people always asked the obvious. "You could say that." He prayed that he got there in time.

TBC ...

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Thanks for reading guys! I do hope you liked it!! It's getting there hehe I hope that everyone is gearing up for the new episodes coming up soon. I know I am more than ready for some new stuff even if speculation about the finale is making me a little nervous. Before I go I would also like to thank **Tidia** for all the stuff she has done for me lately... You Rock Ti!!

Thanks again everyone who is sticking with this and againg you have my apologies for the long wait between updates (i know I sound like a broken record lately) Seeya soon.

Tara x0x


	11. Reckless

**Authors Notes: **It's been a month and I'm sorry for that long wait. Some of you know I have been agonising and bitching over this but I am happy to say that this long coming chapter is finally here and wow it feels good to be back. Chapter 12 is already well on its way to completion and with any luck will be with my Beta by the end of the weekend … Monday the latest … so I'm in a happy place, busy, but happy lol

If anyone is still around, well I hope you enjoy this installment and I thank you so much for being patient. I couldn't ask for a better audience than the one I have so thanks. Also once again thanks and a **HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Angelustatt!!** Mate, I love ya and I hope you have a great day! Thanks to my mum for helping read though as well and last but not least thank you to my friend and new Beta **Carikube!!** You helped with this more than you know!

And now I will shut up now and let you read … hope you enjoy …

* * *

**Chapter 11. Reckless**

He and Dean had done a hell of a lot of stupid things in his life.

Hunting pretty much guaranteed you would end up in bizarre and crazy situations that no normal person would even contemplate.

Getting on a plane that you knew was going to crash, summoning Bloody Mary when you knew she _would_ come after you, telling your brother to stop and face down a killer truck when you weren't sure it would work was crazy.

Using a child as bait to catch a Shtriga, allowing yourself to be caught and arrested to settle a debt that wasn't even yours, going after a Djinn by yourself and selling your soul to bring back the dead was just as crazy, even as much as Sam appreciated the gesture.

Even with Dean topping the list with the whole demon deal thing, the craziness hadn't stopped. He knew he should have waited … maybe even called Bobby again but he couldn't afford to take much longer in finding his brother. The fact that Dean was being held by vampires, vampires with a serious grudge to make things worse, Sam was terrified that he was going to be too late.

The vampires he had killed had told him that Dean was alive but was he supposed to believe them, take their word for the truth? He hoped to God or anyone else who was listening that they _had_ been telling the truth. The alternative was too agonising to think of. Dean had to be alive. Sam still needed time to get him out of his damn deal whether the stubborn bastard wanted it or not.

Finding the farm, Sam pulled the Impala off to the side of the road; let it idle as he looked down the drive to the yellow boarded house. It was getting dark and the trees were blowing like crazy in the wind and the rain was making it hard to see anything even with the windshield wipers working to their full capacity.

He knew it would be stupid to just drive down the driveway. It would announce his presence and he didn't need or want that.

Going into a vampires lair without knowing how many there were and without any backup was crazy but then as he had already established, crazy was his life. It had just taken a while for him to accept that.

Biting his bottom lip as he looked out the passenger window, he tried to see through the trees and could just get a glimpse of the barn on the right side of the house. Dean was being kept in the barn, if what those vampires said was right.

He could feel the butterflies in his stomach as the reality of the situation really hit him.

Sam turned in the seat and looked out of the rear window, annoyed that the Impala didn't have back window wipers as well. He needed to hide the car before he did anything.

Putting the car into reverse, Sam placed his arm along the back of the bench seats and backed the car up a little and then off the road and down a leafy embankment. He didn't stop until the car was sitting in between two trees. It was a tight fit and if Dean saw it, Sam knew that he would have a heart attack. Right now? Sam didn't care.

Sam sat in the car unmoving for a moment, just staring out the front window. Tree branches whipped around outside, licking against the car. The youngest Winchester took a long breath, slowly looking down to the passenger seat. The colt was still lying there from where he had dropped it on his escape from the bar parking lot.

Picking up the old but trusty gun, Sam tested its weight in his hand even though he was already familiar with it. He was comforted in the fact that the colt still worked. Whatever Ruby had done to it had done the trick. There were subtle differences but all that mattered was that it still worked. It gave them an advantage.

There were four bullets still in the chambers and Sam knew that there were also twelve more sitting in the trunk just waiting to be used. Would that be enough?

Of course the ideal way to handle this would be to get Dean out of there quietly and then come back and deal with the vampires. But Sam wasn't stupid, nor was he naive. Things rarely worked in their favour and he had been taught from an early age to be prepared for anything. It was good advice and something that he had taken with him when he had left hunting for that elusive normal life.

The storm outside was picking up, the clouds hovering, darkening the sky even faster than the natural setting of the sun. The thought came to mind that if Dean must be cold, especially if he was being held in the barn like those vampires said.

With this in mind Sam checked to make sure that the gun did indeed have four bullets left before stashing it in the inside pocket of his brown jacket.

Sitting in there thinking wasn't going to help Dean in the slightest. Sam pulled out his phone and one last time tried to call Bobby, worry gnawing his stomach when the mechanic didn't pick up. It was almost like calling Dad again, the only difference was that John had never picked up because he had chosen not to. If Bobby wasn't answering there had to be a reason and considering the circumstances it would have had to be serious.

It was time to move.

Sighing, Sam put the ring tone on silent and placed the phone back in his front jean pocket and exited the car. He quickly opened the trunk, trying unsuccessfully to keep the light rain out of his eyes. Of course it had to be raining. It was the story of their lives lately.

Picking up the container that held the special bullets, Sam emptied the contents into his jacket pocket, minus the two he needed to replace the bullets he had used before. The machete came next, connected to his belt. If he ran out of bullets he would cut off their heads.

Shutting the trunk lid, Sam looked up, water collecting in the hollow of his eyes. He sent a quiet prayer to God, or any higher power that might be listening, for his brother to be alright.

Sam turned around and headed off through bushes and trees, pushing thoughts of Dean's deal out of his mind and concentrating on the job at hand. He stopped just before reaching the clear field between him and the house, moving aside stray branches of the tree he was standing by and he studied the property.

Sam grit his teeth against the urge to ask himself what the hell his brother had been thinking driving straight up to a vampires nest and even worse … allow himself to be caught? Now matter how much he accused Dean of having a death wish he didn't believe the older man would be _that_ reckless. Sam was under the impression that they had come to an understanding after the whole Gordon incident.

With that in mind, Sam came to the conclusion that the vampires must have held something over Dean's head; they must have threatened someone, Sam or someone else entirely.

Sam raised a hand to wipe the water out of his eyes again, almost letting the tree branch swing back and hit him in the face. His fast reflexes had Sam catching the branch, squinting into the fading light to make sure he was in the clear.

From what he could see, there was no-one outside but that didn't mean that no-one was there. The darker it got, the more likely it was that the vampires would venture out. The two he'd killed back at the bar had been a rare occurrence but not totally unbelievable.

"_Sure, they sleep during the day … doesn't mean they wont wake up."_

His father's voice filtered through his thoughts and reminded him that it didn't matter when or where, he had to be careful, his mind on the job.

He re-adjusted his grip around the handle of the colt. It had been that exact same colt that their father had been after. It was that colt that had introduced them to the world of vampires and it had been that same colt that had killed Kate's boyfriend that night at John Winchesters hand. He could remember the feel of the lead vampires arm around his throat, squeezing it. He'd felt as if his neck might snap with one wrong move and he would never forget the helplessness, fear and anger he had seen in his brothers eyes as Dean was made to put down his machete, nor would he forget the look on their fathers face after he'd shot the vampire, or Kate's scream as she watched her life long mate die.

He would have never suspected that it would be that moment to come back and bite them in the ass … or the neck in their case.

No Vampires, or anyone else for that matter were in sight and the weather still gradually getting worse around him, Sam moved. He hoped that sneaking up from the side would prove as less of a distraction as heading into the farm head on would. It would be a longer walk back to the Impala but it was the best option he had. If Dean couldn't make it under his own steam then Sam would carry him back to the car. They would worry about their Dad's truck later.

Moving as fast as he could, yet trying to be as quiet as he could, Sam ran through knee high green grass. Dirt that had turned to mud because of the rain caked his sneakers. His feet felt sloshy, frozen and wet but none of that mattered because the barn was getting closer with each fast paced step. His cheeks felt frozen and wet as his hair whipped around in the wind, stinging his face.

He was more than relieved to finally reach the barn and held his hands out to stop his momentum. The last thing he needed was to run headlong into the barn and knock himself out. Dean would never let him forget it if that happened.

Taking a large gulp of air, Sam let it out slowly and squinted through the rain and wind that had picked up to become a pretty decent storm as far as storms went. Thunder cracked overhead and made Sam flinch. There was a loud banging noise coming from somewhere else also and Sam searched for the source of the sound. He found what he was looking for on the side of the barn. It was the sound of wood hitting wood as the small side door to the barn, next to the two big double doors, wasn't locked. It was opening as far as what looked like a leather strap would allow and hen slamming back.

Cautiously looking around again and finding that the situation wasn't much different from before, Sam moved forward once again, slinking against the barn wall, colt in hand.

The closer Sam got to the door the more apprehensive he became. He so badly wanted Dean to be okay but he knew it was wishful thinking to believe that Dean would come away from this unscathed. Things rarely went their way.

Taking a deep breath, Sam reached his hand inside the gap and unhooked the strap that was keeping the door from flying open completely. It was dark inside but not yet so dark that you couldn't see at all. No, Sam could see perfectly well and his vision zeroed in on the person he had come looking for and he felt sick. His stomach was in knots and his heart skipped a few beats as he stared at the macabre sight of his older brother chained to the cage.

"Dean," he whispered in shock.

The urge to run to Dean's side was immediate and consuming but he stopped himself. The plan was to rescue his brother, not get himself captured along side him.

Sam swallowed the sick feeling of dread and tore his gaze away from Dean. He scanned his immediate surroundings carefully, pausing on each suspicious shadow only to come up empty, sneaking further into the barn, Sam, took in the rope and pulley system attached to the ceiling, the Mesh caging that took up almost the entire length of the opposite wall. He didn't have to actually see inside to know what that cage was for. Sam couldn't worry about that right now. He walked quickly over to the big double doors and peeked through the gaps in the wooden slats. The only thing out there at the moment was the wind and rain. Comforted in the fact that they were alone, for the time being, Sam turned back to grimace at his brother's form.

From where he was he couldn't tell if Dean was breathing, if Dean was alive at all. The older hunter looked so pale and Sam knew that it wasn't just the current lighting. All the blood on his body told Sam all he needed to know and yet not enough.

Rushing to his brother's side, Sam stopped short of touching him at first. Dean was hanging there limply and Sam was almost afraid to search for a pulse. It was inconceivable that someone so white in complexion could still be in the land of the living.

Looking at Dean's neck, Sam fought back a gasp and the messy bite mark there that was still wet with his brother's blood. The bite mark that Gordon had left Dean had grossed them both out, but that was nothing compared to the one he had now. After a quick inspection he found three more cleaner looking bites and felt as if he might actually throw up. They had fed on his brother, not just one but multiple vampires and he couldn't even begin to imagine what that must have felt like. A part of him was glad that he hadn't been there to witness it but another part of him wished he had been there to stop it from happening and rip the sick fucks apart for even going near his brother with their filthy fangs or teeth or whatever the hell it was that they fed with. Sam didn't care about the details right now … he just wanted to kill them.

"Dean!" He called in a loud whisper, praying that Dean would lift his head and answer him

His phone vibrated silently in his pocket and Sam considered leaving it. He was in front of his bleeding brother in the barn owned group of vampires and phone calls were not on the top of his list to do right now.

The thought that it could be Bobby and that he needed to know what they were up against won out and Sam extracted his phone from his pocket, looking around uneasily for anyone approaching.

"Bobby?"

"_Sam, where are you?"_

"I'm with Dean," Sam whispered distractedly as he looked back at his brother.

"_You found him?"_

"Yeah but I need to get him out of here. They're vampires, Bobby, the same ones that we first encountered with Dad in Colorado."

"_Kid, tell me you didn't go in there alone." _

"What did you want me to do, Bobby? Just leave him hanging in here for them to have another go at him? What the hell took you so long?"

He reached up and placed a hand on Dean's chest. The skin beneath his hand was cold but he could just feel the slight rise and fall. Dean was breathing.

"_What the hell are you thinking? You'll be no damn good to anyone if you get your ass caught, Sam!"_

He sighed and took a calming breath. "I'm sorry but I couldn't just leave him. Look, I need to get Dean out of here before someone comes …"

"_Where are you?"_

"McKay Farm," Sam answered, jumping as the side door crashed into the barn once more. He could feel the hair stand up on the back of his neck as he looked back at his brother. He didn't have time to stand around talking to Bobby while his brother was strung up possibly slowly bleeding to death. "We're in the barn but I'm getting him out now. We'll meet you in town." He ended the call, cutting off anything Bobby was going to say and shoved his phone back into his pocket.

The loud clapping of thunder overhead sprang Sam into action again. He lifted Dean's head, noting the clammy feel of the older hunter's skin.

"Dean!" he called Dean's name as loud as he dared.

Getting no response from his verbal attempt at getting Dean's attention, Sam gently lowered his brother's head and shoved the colt into the front of his jeans, replacing it for the handy lock pick that he always carried around.

Dean was being held up against the cage by chains that were locked into place by two heavy set locks. Sam set to work on one of them, all the while keeping an ear out for any movement behind him.

There was movement in front of him, from behind the cage, and now that he was up close and personal with it, Sam could see through the mesh. There were two people tied up and gagged on the other side and Sam felt a moment of sorrow. His number one priority was Dean but he wouldn't be able to leave without at least trying to free them would he?

Concentrating back on the lock in front of him, the first thing he realised was that they were sturdy, strong, and gave him enough of a hassle to have him worried but eventually the lock snipped open and Sam wrenched it away from the chains and threw it to the floor.

The chain slid free and Dean slumped forward with a groan. Sam automatically moved to take some of Dean's weight.

"Hey … hey, I got ya," Sam soothed quietly.

Sam was comforted by the short puffs of breath he could feel on his neck as Dean leaned almost boneless against him, at the same time trembling weakly. It didn't matter if his breathing was a little tight and quick. It was better than not breathing at all.

The second lock was even more stubborn than the first and Sam could feel time tick by faster and faster. He was fighting against the urge to jump at every little sound he heard. Sam shifted Dean a little to get better access to the lock. He felt a shiver run through Dean's body as his brother moaned, his head rolling on Sam's shoulder

"We're nearly there, dude," Sam told him quietly, his stomach clenching at his brothers distress.

"S…am …"

Dean's voice felt like a soft mumble but Sam had heard his name uttered loud and clear and the shock of hearing it almost made him unprepared for the when the lock finally gave in and clicked open. Sam quickly threw that one to the ground also and Dean began slipping from the cage, falling heavily into Sam's arms.

"Yeah, man, it's me," Sam confirmed, his voice strained as he adjusted to Dean's weight.

As expected, Dean's knees buckled as soon as his feet hit the ground. Sam caught him, held him up and gripping Dean's wrist, Sam pulled his brothers arm across his shoulders.

Just like the blood from Dean's chest that had smeared on the front of his shirt, Sam could feel blood on the back of his neck from the cut and bite on his brother's arm. He swallowed thickly as the sensation made him sick.

Dean mumbled something, his eyes closed, and a frown on his face.

"Hey, come on … you with me, Dean? We need to get you to the car."

Dean's breathing hitched and Sam could feel his racing pulse through the hold he had on the man's wrist. "Dean … hey, it's okay." He started forward, dragging his brother with him but the process was a lot slower than he would have liked.

"Sammy?" Dean asked again, his voice barely even a raspy whisper.

"That's right. I'm here, Dean," Sam assured, stopping to make sure he had the colt in his hand. It was a bit of a tangle between them but eventually he had the colt in the same hand which was also holding onto the waistband of Dean's jeans in an effort to help him stay upright.

Dean sighed. "Need'ta … get outta here," he slurred, head lolling back, exposing his bloody torn throat.

Sam choked back a laugh. "I know …"

"Don't forg-…" Dean stopped, a gasp of pain cutting him off mid speech.

"Whoa, easy there," Sam said, struggling under Dean's weight and shivering. He looked up and saw that they were getting closer to the door. They needed to move faster. He would come back for the others. "Don't forget what, Dean?" Sam asked trying to keep Dean's attention.

"Hmm?" Dean asked, his eyes still yet to open.

"What don't you want me to forget?"

"Oh …" Dean answered dopily, his head falling forwards again and Sam was surprised he hadn't sprained his neck yet. "Dad … s'trouble."

Sam frowned and it took a lot of restraint not to stop short at his brother's words. Dad wasn't in trouble, Dad was dead and Sam floundered in the presence of Dean's confusion.

"Dad's fine, Dean." It was the only thing he could think of saying as he dragged Dean across the expanse of the barn.

He could feel Dean trying to help but his legs were as useful as jelly and they still had a whole storm and field to get through yet. The thought to stop and put his jacket on Dean crossed his mind but he really had wasted enough time. He would bundle Dean up once they got away.

Dean shook his head and then let it roll on Sam's shoulder. "No …" Dean's breathing hitched, like he was fighting to draw it from his lungs. "No … Sammy … he's 'lone … vampires."

"Shh." They couldn't afford to worry about Dad right now. Hopefully the man was watching them from up in heaven, barking orders to them even from up there. "It's okay. We're getting outta here."

"'n save Dad?"

"Yeah," Sam agreed, nodding as they approached the door. He couldn't bring himself to say the words _we'll save, Dad _and he hoped that the simple affirmative had been enough to appease his brother.

The wind was blowing wildly outside and Sam didn't even get a chance to try and open the door again. It sung back, slamming against the barn wall, splintering wood, but this time the doorway wasn't clear.

A dark figure stood in the doorway and Sam didn't waste any time awkwardly bringing up the colt while still holding his brother upright. He fired a shot and then turned quickly as he heard others coming in from the other entrance.

Sam had no choice but to back up and let Dean slide from his grasp as he fired off another few shots in quick succession, blue light sizzled from the fatal bullet wounds in each vampire that he hit.

Enraged howls of anger could be heard over the whining wind and rain with each vampire that went down. More came through the door and Sam had the sickening realisation that there was a lot more than he had assumed. He shot and killed two more as they approached and then dropped the gun to the ground by Dean. He had the extra bullets but there was no way that he would be able to reload the colt again in time.

His machete was unsheathed just as a hard body barrelled into him, sending him crashing to the ground. He grunted as the air was knocked from his lungs and he thought he could hear Dean call his name but everything was so loud so he wasn't sure.

Hitting out with the machete handle, Sam felt it connect with flesh before a thick forearm was pressed to his throat, almost completely cutting off his air supply. A fetid breath hit his face and when Sam opened his eyes he could see a blood red snarl and instinctively he knew that it was his brother's blood coating the second layer of razer sharp teeth.

"I wonder if you taste as good as your brother does …" The huge vampire on top of him taunted, leaning in closer, the smell made it obvious that he had recently fed making Sam want to vomit.

An anger even more intense than when he had first walked in and found Dean erupted and Sam brought his knee up connecting with the vampire's muscled stomach, earning him a loud grunt and loss of pressure on his neck for his effort. It was all that Sam needed.

Ramming the butt of his machete handle into the side of the vampires head, knocking him off balance, Sam twisted and used the advantage of their new positions to his benefit. He brought the sharp blade of his machete down, cutting through the vampire's neck, the blade ricocheting off the ground rippled, running through Sam's arms.

All he could think about was that he had just killed one of the filthy fucks that had hurt his brother.

"Sam!"

Sam's head snapped up and his heart nearly jumped out of his throat at the sight that was before him. He had screwed up. He had screwed up big time. He shouldn't have taken so long in getting his brother out of there. Now Dean's feet were dangling above the ground as another vampire held him off the ground by his damaged throat. Dean's hands were weakly pulling at the wrist connected to the hand wrapped around his throat.

Sam raised his machete, his eyes cold and focused on the enemy, Dean's struggles for air always in the background and making him want to rip them all apart. "Let. My. Brother. Go."

He would take them all out one by one if he had to.

Laughter came from behind the semi-circle of angry vampires that had surrounded him and then he saw her. Kate squeezed through a gap in the semi-circle, smiling like she had won the freaking lottery.

The last time Sam had seem her, she had been screaming and growling after their father had killed her lover. Sam knew what it was like to lose someone you loved but he held no sympathy for this vampire. She killed and tormented people, not only for sustenance but for the fun of it as well. Her whole group had. They spread their lifestyle like a disease, forcing it on people just like Dixon had done to Gordon. Gordon had been a short sighted bastard but it was one of the worse things that Sam could imagine happening … especially to a hunter.

"Kate." Sam sneered as the female approached but he didn't lower his weapon. He had a strong urge to pick up the colt and reload it even as fruitless as that might have been.

"Sam, I'm flattered you remember me …"

"Let him down … NOW!" He was not in the mood for small talk and he was acutely aware that he didn't stand a chance of enforcing anything without Dean being killed and himself along with him.

"You put down that nasty blade and we'll put down your brother," Kate replied almost sweetly.

Sam's eyes narrowed at her choice of words.

Kate shrugged and glanced at Dean, his lips clearly turning blue, no longer struggling, and then looked back at Sam. "He looks about ready to be put out of his misery."

"You think I'm messing about?" Sam asked darkly, his heart racing as Dean was deprived of oxygen for far longer than Sam was comfortable with.

"Do you think I am?" Kate countered. "Put down the damn weapon, Sam, or I'll let my friends finish feeding on sweet, sweet Dean."

It was useless anyway. There was no way that he could fight his way out of here, not with Dean alive. One quick glance at his brother, Sam went back to glaring at Kate as he threw his machete to the floor.

"See?" Kate sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as she smiled. "Now was that so hard?"

Sam's eyes went back to Dean. He was totally lax now and still being help up off the ground. Wide eyes snapped back to Kate's. "Let him down," his voice was even and calm, belaying the panic he was feeling.

Seconds went by and all that could be heard was the crashing wind, rain and thunder from outside, that and Sam's pounding heartbeat. Sam could see the other vampires and could see the lust in their eyes, the lust for his blood.

Just as Sam was about to lunge forward, Kate spoke, issuing the order to let Dean down.

The white haired vampire stood back, releasing Dean. The bloody hunter fell to the ground to land in an unmoving heap.

"Dean!" Sam made to rush to Dean's side but stopped short when his way was blocked. "Dammit, let me go to him!"

Kate studied Sam's face for a moment. "Troy, why don't you make sure our pet is breathing."

Sam watched on in horror as two quick kicks were planted in Dean's stomach. Dean's eyes snapped open as he gasped raggedly.

"I'm going to kill you!" Sam growled.

Troy turned and came to stand beside Kate, speaking close to her ear but loud enough for Sam to hear. "Can we just get this over with?"

Kate sighed and looked annoyed. "I don't want to rush this."

Troy growled. "He just killed a nice chunk of my family, Kate! This is _your_ fight! Now, either get on with it or take your pet and leave but I'm taking this one!" He pointed at Sam.

They didn't know this group of vampires but it was obvious to Sam now that he had just made himself another enemy and he couldn't seem to care.

There was a moment in which both vampires just stared at each other, almost like a battle of wills and then it was over. Kate sighed but then nodded. "Fine," she stated. "Throw them in with the rest of the food and we'll get on with it tonight."

Sam watched as the vampire turned and began walking away, a look of determination had replaced the excited look of enjoyment from before. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise when his attention was brought back to the male leader. It didn't take much imagination to know what that if he had the chance he would take Sam out right here and now.

"Feel free to have some fun … but remember I want them alive." With that, Kate was gone, out into the storm and god knows where, leaving Sam surrounding by hungry vampires who were pissed at him for now killing their family.

"Throw the other one in the cage," Troy ordered, his eyes firmly locked on Sam's in a cold hard stare.

"What about this one?" A small, short red haired vampire asked, looking from Troy to Sam.

Troy snarled. "Hold him still. I'm going to teach him a little lesson."

Acting on a split second decision, Sam dove for the colt that was still lying where he had dropped it. He saw stars behind his eyes and pain explode in his head as hard, steel-capped boot rushed up, connecting with his face. He felt blood trickle from his nose as the force of the kick flipped him. He wasn't on his back for more than a few seconds when he felt both of his arms grabbed by strong hands, hauling him up to his feet where the world spun frighteningly for a moment.

Sam shook his head to clear it. His head pounded worse but his vision cleared a little and he found himself struggling in the grip of two strong vampires.

Out of the corner of his eye he could Dean being manhandled roughly through the now open cage door. His brother landed with a thud on the cold hard dirt floor of the barn and then the cage was closed once more, leaving Sam as the sole entertainment.

The hands locked around his biceps were strong enough that Sam was sure they would leave marks. Troy leant forward and picked up the colt, studying it in his hands. He looked up, flicking his eyes to Sam.

"If I hadn't seen it for my own eyes I would have never believed it." The head vampire briefly looked to one of his fallen members before settling back on Sam. "Kate told me what you did … what your father did."

Sam spat out the blood that had collected at the base of his throat and would have shrugged had the iron force grip not prevented it. "What's this about?"

"Other than getting a feed and taking out a couple of hunters you mean?"

"Yeah … other than that."

Troy looked at the gun once more before putting it in the waistband of his jeans behind him. "Kate has her reasons."

Sam was held still, feeling as if his arms might break by the hands holding him if they gripped him any tighter. Troy approached, anger swirling in his eyes.

"Me? I was just helping out an old friend. _You_ just made this personal."

Sam almost scoffed in the vampires face. They had kidnapped and fed off of his brother and _he_ had made it personal? "I can't say I feel sorry about that."

The words were out of his mouth before he had even registered that he had spoken. Hearing himself now it hit him how much he had sounded like his brother. Baiting the enemy was Dean's job. His brother was constantly shifting any unwanted attention away from Sam and onto himself. It seemed that it was catching although Sam thought that he might have to work on it a bit since in this instance he already had the enemy's attention squarely on him.

Troy laughed but Sam could tell that the vampire was anything but amused. "You might feel a little sorry when I'm through with you, kid."

The punch, although expected, had seemed to come out of no-where and Sam knew that if his nose hadn't been broken before that it most certainly was now. He didn't have much time to think about it though as it was followed up with a doubly hard punch to the mid-section that stole his breath.

He was bent forward slightly only for Troy's knee to plough into his stomach one, two, three times, leaving Sam gasping as he felt more than one rib crack under the onslaught. The uppercut to the jaw would have sent him flying had he not been held in place.

The next few minutes were just a haze of pain and Sam could have sworn that he actually heard his ears ringing as punch upon punch crashed into his face until he was hanging between the two vampires on either side of him.

A hand closed on his hair and yanked his head back and Sam tensed in pain and apprehension as his foggy mind caught up to what was happening, just how close Troy was to his throat.

Long seconds ticked by and everything seemed frozen in time as Sam clenched his eyes shut waiting to feel teeth sink in. He was confused when he felt the vampire's breath on his ear. "When Kate has finished with your family? You're mine, boy. Remember that."

Troy pulled away from Sam, letting his head fall to his chest as he tried to catch his breath and not throw up, or pass out … or both.

"Take his jacket and anything else useful that he has on him and then throw him in with his brother."

Troy's voice was cutting in and out and Sam dared to open his eyes but shut them again straight away when his nausea hit him full force. He was quickly divested of his jacket and anything else in his pockets, his and Dean's phones included and then the sound of the cage opening filtered through to his foggy brain before he was unceremoniously tossed inside, grunting when his sore ribs landed on the hard ground.

"See ya soon, Sammy."

Footsteps and faint orders could be just heard as Sam laid there with his eyes closed, trying to breathe. He grit his teeth against the pain in his chest, shifting to curl into himself a little. He needed to get up and check on Dean but is body wasn't responding to his brains commands. All he could was lie there and let his body deal for a moment.

His mind was starting to feel foggy, the pain in his head increasing, complaining at the treatment it had received, almost singing in chorus with his ribs.

"Dean?" His brother's name was barely a whisper on his lips. He could feel himself slipping even though his natural instinct to know Dean was okay was screaming at him to stop being a pussy and get up. His last thought was that Bobby was coming … Bobby would know what to do.

TBC …

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Thanks for reading guys! I hope you liked! I cant wait to hear what you think!

Tara x0x


	12. When It Rains It Pours

**Authors Notes:** Thank you everyone for all of your support and awesome reviews. It was definately nice to come back to after so long and I'm so happy that I got this chapter up relatively quick compared to my recent record :) I hope you enjoy this! Thanks to **Angelustatt** and my mother as always as without your opinion I would be lost.

**Beta:** Carikube ... Thanks for the speedy Beta! You Rock!

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Chapter 12. When It Rains It Pours.

The urge to throw the phone was tempting. The situation warranted that kind of frustration as far as Bobby was concerned but he had already broken one cell phone and this one wasn't even his. The van driver, Carl, had been nice enough to stop and pick him up so Bobby didn't think destroying the man's phone would be the appropriate way to say thank you.

"Damn stubborn idiot," Bobby groused. Venting in verbal frustration would have to do.

He looked sidelong at Carl and silently commended the man for his attempt at disinterest. The conversation he'd just had with Sam must have sounded like some domestic squabble with his kid. That wasn't so far off base if you didn't count that Dean had apparently been captured by vampires and that Sam had gone into their nest with only the colt and machete, at most, for his back-up.

Ever since John Winchester had turned up at his door with those two little boys, Bobby had found himself getting attached. John had been a good friend, almost like a brother even and the boys had become his family.

Even when John and he had parted on bad terms, Bobby had still hoped that they knew they could come to him if they ever needed help. When John had died he had vowed to watch over them and make sure they were okay and that job had never been more important … and stressful than it was now. If anyone could attract trouble it was John's boys.

Bobby handed the borrowed cell phone back to its owner, who in turn placed the device in his right shirt pocket.

"Everything okay?" Carl asked, only glancing at Bobby quickly before his eyes focused back on the stormy conditions in front of them.

"Yeah …" Bobby trailed off. Nothing was okay at the moment. The boys were in some serious shit and if Sam managed to get himself caught Bobby was going to kill the kid himself.

"Kids huh?"

Bobby huffed and shifted in the seat. "Something like that." The van swerved and Bobby reached out and gripped the dashboard to stop himself slamming forward. "Damn."

"Sorry. This storm's been comin' all day," Carl explained as he took control of his vehicle once more. "Glad I came along when I did or you woulda been stuck out in this."

"It sure did hit fast," Bobby agreed. There was heavy rain, strong winds, thunder and lightening and the boys were out in this. It didn't make Bobby feel any better about the situation. "Listen; do you know where the McKay farm is?"

Carl nodded, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Sure do, although the McKay's don't own the place no more."

"Figured as much," Bobby muttered and then turned to Carl. "You think you could drop me off there?"

"Well …" Carl began, his weathered face was contemplative. "I wasn't exactly headed out that side of town …"

Bobby didn't want to hear a negative. He would pay the man what he wanted as long as he arrived at the farm as quickly as he could. If Carl couldn't get him there then he would need to find another ride once they hit town. It could be done but it would be much quicker if he was just dropped off there. He wasn't above knocking the guy on the head and borrowing his van. It was for a good cause after all. "I …"

"I got a feeling this is real important like."

"You have no idea."

"I'll take you. I wouldn't want my kids out in this weather, let alone in trouble but y'know I wouldn't hate some gas money if ya got some."

"You get me there as fast as you can and I'll double that tank of gas."

Carl smiled and put his foot down on the accelerator, his eyes still on the wet conditions. "You have a deal there. This van might not look much but she's done good by me."

Bobby nodded and smirked. His own blue pick-up truck often looked a little worse for wear but she did the job. The same could be said for most all cars he drove. He was a big believer in not judging a book by its cover but then in his line of work he guessed that kind of went without saying.

Thunder cracked over head followed by lightning striking out across the now dark sky. He winced as the van rocked in the wind as they roared on down the dark road. He imagined that the thunder and lightning was John's temper from upstairs at how he had let things get so bad with the boys.

As much as Bobby would have a few choice words of his for the stubborn mule of a man, Bobby could understand if John was angry with him. They had both screwed up but at least in the end John had managed to keep both boys alive. What had Bobby done? He had left Dean when he had needed him most. It was something that he had accused John of doing in the past but this time it'd had dire consequences … Dean had sold his soul. Sam was alive and he was thankful for that. It had killed him to see Sam lying there so still and lifeless but he would always regret leaving Dean alone with his dead brother's body. Dean had all but ordered him to leave and Bobby had listened and he should have known that Dean would have tried something foolish. The fact that the boy had managed to get himself such a crap deal just added to the foolishness.

It was that moment in the junk yard that Bobby had really seen how bad off Dean was and part of him had wanted to bring John back from the dead so that he could rip the man a new one for screwing his sons head up so much that he felt so low of himself.

Dean liked to portray this strong silent persona but what was really inside? Was a scared little boy, a boy that really could only see his worth in relation to what he could do for his family. Dean really had no idea just how important he was to them all, not even John sacrificing his own life to save Dean had helped to fix Dean's self worth. Instead he had taken his job as Sam's protector to a whole new level and Bobby knew that John's last order hadn't exactly helped.

Thunder clapped loudly again and Bobby smirked, leaning forward and looked up to the sky, a rueful smile played on his lips. Just like John, dead and still arguing back. The boys had always been one thing that could get them arguing. Bobby didn't always agree with the way John handled things and John didn't always appreciate Bobby speaking his opinion on John's parenting skills or lack there of. It was a dance between them over the years that ended with Bobby pulling a shot gun on John's stubborn ass …

_If it wasn't for the rumble of the very familiar car, Rumsfeld's silence would have told Bobby all he needed to know._

_Walking over to the window, the newspaper he had just been sitting down to read still rolled up in his hand, Bobby moved the curtain aside. The Impala's engines shut off and Bobby watched as John got out of the drivers seat. He briefly wondered where John's truck was. He'd gotten his hands on the black beast for John when his friend had informed him that he was thinking of handing over the Impala's keys to Dean. And since then whenever the Winchesters stopped by his place it was always the boys in the Impala, following John in the truck. _

_The Impala pulling into his yard by itself was Bobby's first cause for concern. The second came when squinting through the dirty glass window and through the dark of night, Bobby watched as John rushed around to the passenger side of the Impala and wrenched open the door. "Bobby! Get your ass out here!" John yelled before reaching into the car._

_Bobby didn't have to be told twice. It wasn't the authoritive tone in John's voice, Bobby didn't take orders from John Winchester, it was the hint of fear there that had Bobby dropping the newspaper on a chair on his way out the door. Rumsfeld was now barking, not in a protective, guarding way but in a way that told Bobby that the Rottweiler had sensed the urgency and panic as well._

_Bobby slammed the door open and rushed down the steps, issuing a quick order at Rumsfeld to shut up. He was just in time to see John lifting Dean from the car. Blood ran down the side of the young man's face and he was unconscious. _

"_Jesus, John! What happened?"_

"_Help me get him inside." _

_Bobby ignored the fact that John hadn't answered his question. There would be time once they got Dean inside. Between the two of them the managed to get Dean up the porch steps and deposited him on the couch. Bobby had briefly thought about carrying the boy up to the spare room that the boys always stayed in but decided against it. They could take him upstairs once they knew what they were dealing with._

_John was hovering, hands ghosting over the nasty cut on Dean's forehead and down to his torso where Bobby expected there were broken ribs if John's actions were anything to go by. Both Winchesters were covered in dirt and grime and John's hands were slightly shaking._

_Bobby went and retrieved his med kit, giving John a moment to breathe, returning after a short stop to the kitchen to get a bottle of whiskey. You never could tell when and for what you would need it for in times like this._

"_John?" Bobby dumped the kit on the floor beside the other hunter and then touched his shoulder, demanding that John looked at him. "What the hell happened? You both look like shit."_

"_Spirit got the jump on us. He's been out of it ever since."_

"_Don't suppose you thought of taking him to the fucking hospital…" Bobby muttered under his breath. _

_John's glare in return told Bobby that he had been heard loud and clear and it was very clear that John didn't appreciate Bobby contradicting his decisions._

"_Don't fucking start on me, Singer, John growled, curling his hands into a fist in what looked like an attempt to control his anger._

"_Don't get all on your high horse with me, Winchester. You show up, beat to hell, with your oldest son unconscious and bleeding. I'm just worried is all."_

_John rubbed a hand over his face, coming to rest over his three day old growth. Bobby could see the fatigue etched plainly on John's face, in his eyes, that and something else that Bobby couldn't quite identify yet._

_Bobby shoved the bottle at John and made to shove him aside a little so that he had better access to Dean. Once he was close enough, Bobby placed a hand against Dean's cheek to then gently touch the small bleeding cut on Dean's forehead. It looked nasty but as soon as it was cleaned up it wouldn't look half as bad. The cut was just superficial, wouldn't even need stitches. It was how long Dean had been out that had him worried. _

"_Dean?" Bobby called, lightly tapping Dean's cheek. Getting no response Bobby took the pen light out of the bag and tested both eyes. They weren't exactly reacting the way they should but it didn't look as bad as what he had thought. "Looks like he's got himself a mild concussion," Bobby told John, glancing at him._

_Bobby cleaned the cut and placed a butterfly clip over it just to be cautious and then moved onto the kid's ribs. Lifting Dean's shirt, Bobby was greeted with a ugly bruising and he winced, injuries to the ribs were never fun but as he checked them he found that they weren't broken, probably just badly bruised._

_Once he was sure Dean was okay other than being unconscious, Bobby lightly patted the boy on the chest affectionately and then turned to John who was sitting on the floor, the bottle of whiskey untouched in his hand. He looked terrified and angry all at the same time and Bobby wasn't sure which one would win out here._

"_You want to tell me what happened?"_

"_I told you!" John snapped, staggering to his feet, the bottle still in his hands but surprisingly enough John still hadn't attempted to drink any. "Fucking ghost got the jump on us._

"_Don't snap at me! I'm not the damn enemy!" Bobby took a calming breath. "Look, lets just get Dean upstairs and we'll all get some rest._

_John's eyes went to his son and Bobby could see the concern for Dean was winning over his frustration right now. Between the two of them they managed to get Dean into the spare room. Dean had woken up confused for a moment as to where he was and Bobby had stood back and let John check him over, soothe Dean back to sleep. Bobby had headed to his own room after ordering John to get some rest himself._

_The next morning, when Bobby had entered the kitchen, he'd found John sitting at his kitchen table and one look at the man, Bobby could tell that he hadn't been to sleep. The nearly empty bottle of whiskey and empty coffee cup told him that John had sat up stewing over everything and that was never a good thing._

"_Never did listen worth a god damn …" Bobby muttered as he headed straight for the coffee pot. He wasn't getting into anything with John without coffee, or he might tear the man's head off._

"_You got something you want to say?" John's tone was guarded, like he was waiting for a fight and Bobby tried not to take it personal since the night before had been tough on everyone … and the fact that John was running on no sleep._

"_I dunno. You got something you want to tell me?" Bobby asked turning around with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand and leant back against the counter._

_John glared, eyes blood shot. "In case you've forgotten, I don't answer to you."_

"_You turn up on my doorstep with Dean unconscious, the least you can do is give me an explanation." Bobby paused and took a sip of his coffee, almost burning off his tongue. He put the coffee down on the bench and crossed his arms over his chest. "You look like shit, Winchester and something tells me that last night isn't the only problem, now spill."_

"_Fine," John answered petulantly. "Dean was distracted, he didn't follow my orders like he was suppose to and got himself thrown through the fucking air like a rag doll …" John ranted._

"_The best of us make mistakes. He's had it tough since Sam left. It wouldn't kill you to take a break."_

_John looked at Bobby as if the mechanic had shot his dog. _

_Bobby knew that Sam was a sore subject for John. It had been almost two years since Sam had left and John and Dean were both finding it difficult. They both missed Sam but John was a stubborn bastard and wouldn't do anything about it._

_Bobby wasn't stupid, He knew that both Sam and John had played a big part in how things had been left between them but it made Bobby angry to see that Dean hadn't even been taken into account and now, even almost two years later, Dean was still being ignored by both. _

_From what he had heard, Sam had made a conscious effort to disown everything to do with hunting and his father … apparently Dean was a part of that. John was no better and over the last year or so Bobby had seen the gradual decline in Dean's energy … he was trying to deal with Sam's departure and look after his father all at the same time. It wasn't good and it needed to stop. Trying to tell this to John was a whole other thing._

"_We don't need a break."_

"_You're a stupid ass, you know that?" _

"_I don't want to hear it, Singer." John stood up, the shift from casual to serious was obvious in the increasing tones of their voices._

"_Oh that's about right with you isn't it?" Bobby growled back, trying his best to keep his voice down. Dean was injured and he didn't need to hear him and John fighting. _

_John's eyes glowered but he remained where he was standing, the look on his face daring Bobby to piss him off. "Don't start with me again. I have had it up to here …" John gestured with a hand above his head. "…with this bullshit."_

_Bobby snorted and threw his hands up in the air. "You've had it? Take a look around you, John and wake the fuck up!" His voice raised and any thoughts of not getting into an argument flew right out the window._

"_You think I don't know what's going on? I know he misses his brother but I can't have that interfering with hunts. Lives depend on him focusing. Sam made his decision and Dean needs to get over it."_

_Bobby could see hurt flash through John's eyes as he spoke about Sam but the defensive anger burst through, covering the hurt and Bobby felt his own anger rising. He and John had always had their disagreements and arguments over the years but this one was building in a dangerous way._

"_He needs to get over it? Just like that? All his life you have drilled into his head that Sam is HIS responsibility and he's done a better job at raising that kid than anyone and now he's just supposed to forget about it?"_

"_He needs his head in the job!"_

_He's not a fuckin' soldier, he's your son!" Bobby shouted, now not caring who heard him. "And if you don't realise that before it's too late? You'll have lost both your boys."_

"_Dad?... Bobby? What's going on?" Dean's voice was confused and cautious as he entered the kitchen._

_The older men stopped for a moment and both looked at Dean. He still looked half asleep but was waking up faster now that he'd interrupted the brewing argument._

"_How're you feeling, Dean?" Bobby asked as John broke out of his silence and stood straighter._

"_Dean, front and centre."_

"_God damn it, John …"_

"_You…" John pointed at Bobby. "…keep out of it! This is between me and my son." The older Winchester turned back to Dean who had come to stand closer. "What the hell was that last night, Dean?"_

"_I …"_

"_Answer me, now!"_

_Bobby stepped in front of John, putting himself between the man and his son. Bobby didn't like to get involved in the way John brought up his kids. They'd had their disagreements but never come to anything physical about it. John was angry now and the fact that he just been scared for Dean's welfare was obviously far from his mind._

"_Get out of my way, Bobby." _

_John's warning was low and any normal person would have shrank back from it, but Bobby wasn't a normal person._

"_I don't think so. You need to calm down right now."_

"_Bobby, its okay …"_

"_I'm not going to tell you again, Singer."_

"_Neither am I, John. Go away and calm down or you can the hell out of here."_

"_Both of you shut up!"_

_Bobby felt something brush past him and realised that Dean wasn't standing behind him anymore. He had pushed past them both and stormed off a little unsteadily towards the living room._

_John's attention was automatically torn from Bobby to the retreating form of his oldest son. "Stop! Right there!"_

_Bobby watched as Dean froze in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room and turn around. The look in his eyes told Bobby that this was more than just some stupid mess up on a hunt. "Why? Are you going to throw me out too? I'm a little old for that and this isn't your house!"_

_Hearing Dean snap back at his father was a bit of a surprise. He wasn't sure he HAD ever heard it._

"_Don't bring your brother into this."_

"_Why? Isn't this what this is about?"_

_John took a few more steps closer to Dean who brought his hand up to his head briefly like he had a massive headache and with that head injury Bobby wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he did._

"_No! This is about you paying attention, and doing your job!"_

_Dean shook his head, eyes squinting when the motion did no good for his headache. "I always do my job, that's all I ever do but you and Sam fail to notice so you know what? The Hell with both of you!"_

_And with that Dean turned around again, heading for the front screen door, John hot on his heels. Bobby wasn't sure what exactly had gone on but enough was enough._

"_Don't you walk away from me while I'm talking to you, boy!" John caught up and wrapped a hand around Dean's bicep to stop him from reaching the outside world. _

_Dean tried to wrench his arm out of John's grip but his father held on tight. "That's my whole problem! You NEVER talk!"_

"_Enough!"_

_Both sets of eyes turned towards him at his outburst and both held the same amount of surprise at the shotgun in Bobby's hands. _

"_Enough. John, take your hands off him right now or I will fill your ass full of buck-shot, you hear__me?" At John's silence Bobby continued. "Now get out of here before my trigger finger gets happy and I shoot you anyway."_

"_What?"_

"_You think I'm messin' about? Get off my property now and I don't want to see your sorry ass until you have calmed the fuck down."_

_The next moments found Bobby in a vicious staring match between the two friends and Bobby wondered whether he was actually going to have to act on his threat. He didn't exactly want to but he wasn't going to put up with this kind of thing happening in his home. Not between people that he considered his family._

_Finally John turned his fiery, furious eyes to Dean. "Be in the car in thirty seconds or I'm leaving without you!" and with that John left, slamming the door as he went. _

_Bobby looked at Dean and lowered his shotgun. He hated the fact that he had just pulled a shotgun on one of his good friends and the slump of Dean's shoulders made him feel even worse._

"_Sorry Bobby." Dean apologised looking out through the door to his father slamming the Impala door closed. "We shouldn't have brought our issues down on you."_

"_Nonsense, you know you're always welcomed here …"_

"_Still … thanks for the help last night anyway."_

"_You don't have to leave right away. You could use some rest, kid." _

_Dean smiled sadly, the hint of a headache still evident in his expression. "Thanks, Bobby, but I'm fine. I should go before Dad takes off in MY car. I don't think he has her best interests at heart right now." It was a joke, an attempt to lighten the mood and he didn't know whether to be sad that Dean was always trying to make it easier on everyone else._

_He would have preferred Dean stayed. John could look after himself for a bit but he understood why Dean was leaving with John. The boy was as loyal as they come and as pissed off as he had seemed with John moments before Bobby knew that the need to have the man's back burnt stronger, especially in his brother's absence. _

_Bobby clapped his hand on Dean's shoulder. "You need anything, at all, you call me okay?"_

"_I will."_

Bobby had known that he wouldn't be seeing the Winchesters for a long time after that. He hadn't expected it to be two years. John was apparently really pissed at him but that was okay because Bobby wasn't a member of the John Winchester fan club either.

He was more than a little surprised when Dean had turned up on his doorstep two years later and even more surprised that he had Sam instead of John with him. He had helped them with no questions asked. No matter their differences, John was a good friend and he and the boys were family.

Now he and Sam had less than a year left to save Dean's sorry ass and Bobby couldn't help but feel like they were running out of options. He wouldn't rest until he knew both of those boys were safe. It was the least he could do for John and the least he could do for the boys.

"How old?"

"Sorry?" Bobby asked when Carl's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Your boys," Carl clarified.

Bobby snorted but didn't correct the man on his assumption. "Old enough to know better."

"I guess it don't matter how old they get, you'll always find a reason to worry."

"Of that? I have no doubt."

Bobby just hoped that they made it through this so that he had a chance to test that theory. If they went and got themselves killed he would kill them.

"Say, how long to …"

"I can have you there in fifteen."

Carl smirked. Bobby's impatience must have really been showing through. He wasn't used to relying on strangers for help. It wasn't the way Bobby worked and he felt a little out of his depth. He would feel a lot better once they got to that damn farm and he saved those boys damned asses.

xXx

"_Wake up, Sam!"_

"Dad?"

Sam jolted awake, an automatic response to one of his father's orders regardless of how much he rebelled against them. It was ingrained in him to jump first and ask questions later and it was a habit he had strived to break.

Sam licked his lips, his tongue sliding over a cut, making him wince. He opened his eyes expecting John to blast him one for not jumping to. Instead, Sam could hear crying, muffled and panicked. It was a woman that much he knew for sure.

Opening his eyes, slowly blinking, Sam searched for his father even though he knew it had only been his imagination. His need to get out of this situation, his need to wake up and save his brother had sounded an alarm in his head in the form one of the only voices that could make him obey without much thought.

Right now? Sam felt kind of comforted by his mind conjuring John. In a way it was like his Dad was watching out for them still. The man was nothing if not stubborn.

As his vision focused more Sam could see Dean lying a few feet away. There was hardly any light now but he could see Dean was in trouble.

Sam hurt all over, his nose felt stuffed and his jaw was painful to move but it wasn't broken. His ribs on the other hand were a different story. He vaguely remembered hearing a few of them snap. Moving was going to hurt.

He almost expected to hear John's voice telling him to _suck it up and get a move on_. He wouldn't have resented him for it this time; in fact it was probably what he needed to hear.

Taking a steadying breath, Sam placed his hands flat on the ground and pushed himself up. Gritting his teeth, he allowed a growl of pain to pass his lips as he felt his ribs grate against each other. "God …"

There was whimpering to his right, the high keening squeal had Sam closing his eyes as the sound pierced his skull and reverberated around in his head.

Sam crawled over to Dean who was lying on his side near the cage wall. As he moved closer he could see that Dean was unconscious and Sam almost gasp when he touched his brother's face. It was cold and clammy and if it wasn't for the shivering and small puff of breath then Sam would have believed he was dead.

It must have been below freezing outside because Sam was cold only wearing a t-shirt and over shirt and Dean was wearing nothing but his jeans and boots and covered in his own blood. "God … Dean …" He brushed a hand through Dean's sweat matted hair.

A muffled tearful voice brought his attention to the other side of the cage. A young black woman sat there, arms bound behind her and masking tape over her mouth. Tears streamed down her face and she was trembling in the cold.

Sam turned back to Dean and then looked up to try and see through the mesh. He could just see out into the barn and saw that once again no-one was watching. The vampires were typically arrogant enough to leave them alone. Granted, Sam had no way to get them out right now but he would be working on it … and they would be sorry.

Trying to move as little as possible, Sam shifted so that he was in reach of his brother's foot. They had taken everything useful from him but they hadn't gone near his feet. He didn't know why. He would have thought that it was an obvious place to look for a weapon but he didn't really care why if it meant they had been as careless with Dean.

A smile spread across Sam's face as his hand came across the small silver dagger that Dean wore in his boot. His brother usually liked to be prepared for anything and was rarely without hidden weapons. He felt vulnerable without them. And Sam couldn't have been more thankful for that.

"Thanks Dean," he said quietly, patting his brother's leg.

The last thing he wanted to do was leave his brother. In fact, the last thing he wanted to do was move at all but he couldn't just leave the girl tied up when he could do something about it and he could use all the help he could get.

He turned around, the move causing him to gasp loudly and shut his eyes tight as they watered from the sharp twinge in his ribs. Once he could breathe again he opened his eyes and blinked a few times to clear the moisture from them.

Looking at the terrified woman, Sam tried for a reassuring smile but it didn't seem to calm her much. He moved towards her slowly, mindful of his ribs, sucking in slow and even breaths.

"Shh…it's okay. I'm going to untie you, okay." Sam held up the knife to show her. The woman whimpered but nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I'll have you free in a moment. Sit forward."

Sam made quick work of cutting through the masking tape that was holding the woman's wrists together and then guided her back against the wall. He watched with a sympathetic grimace as she brought her hand up and ripped the masking tape from her mouth with a cry of pain.

Sam kept a hand on her shoulder as she took some shuddering breaths, bordering on sobbing. "Hey, it's going to be okay, alright."

"They t-took him!"

"They took who?"

"My …" she choked on a sob before continuing. "My b-boyfriend … oh god, they killed him!"

Sam remembered now. He had seen two people in the cage when he had been getting Dean down. They must have taken one of them while he had been unconscious. He felt guilty for being relieved that they had left his brother alone. He didn't like that someone had been killed but he couldn't not be glad that his brother hadn't been touched again.

Sam suddenly found himself with an armful of hysterical woman. He gasped in pain as she crushed his injured ribs, her arms wrapped tightly around him. "Aghh … shit! It's okay …"

"No! They … they killed … what the hell are they? Oh my God, it was t-terrible."

"Hey! Listen to me! Snap out of it, okay!" Sam snapped, the pain of his injuries making his patience thin, Dean's predicament across the cage from him not doing much better for his mood. "I'm sorry about your boyfriend but I need you to stay with me. We're gonna get out of here. I need to get my brother out of here and I could really use your help!"

More sobbing came from the shuddering mess in his arms and Sam sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Every instinct he had told him that he needed to move back to Dean. He needed to check his brother over more thoroughly. He needed to try and wake Dean up.

"Are you with me?" Sam asked when he felt the black woman calm down a little.

All was silent for a moment and she he felt her nod, release one more, quiet, sob and then push herself back from Sam. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot and tears tracked down her face and she looked anything but okay but Sam would take what he could get.

"My name is Sam …"

"I know."

Sam cocked his head to the side in question to which she shrugged. "I heard … those things call you Sam. I-I'm Tabitha"

"Okay, Tabitha, everything's going to be alright." Sam held up a hand to stop the protest evident in Tabitha's watery eyes. "Someone's coming, a friend of mine…"

"No offence, but _your_ rescue plan didn't exactly work."

"Yeah…" Sam grinned ruefully. "Well Bobby knows what he's doing."

A groan from across the room made Sam's heart speed up, his head turning back to where he had left his brother. Pushing back the pain in his ribs, he moved as fast as his body would allow back to Dean's side.

Dean shivered violently, eyes open and searching. "Sam?" His voice was no more than a croak.

"Hey, big brother, how are you doing?"

"W-what're you doing … here?" Dean licked his dry lips, as his eyes started falling closed again.

"Nononono, Dean, you need to stay awake, okay?"

"…m'wake."

"That would be a little more believable with your eyes open, dude."

Sam's voice held a hint of amusement for Dean's sake but the truth was he was terrified and the longer Dean took to open his eyes the worse he felt.

"Is he okay?" Tabitha came up behind him, rubbing her sore wrists.

"He's fine," Sam answered automatically. He knew that Dean would answer that way but it was so far from the truth. Moving closer to his brother, kneeling by his side Sam placed his hands on either side of Dean's face. "Dean!" One hand slid down to his red painted throat to feel for his pulse. It was there, pumping fast, trying to accommodate his body for the amount lost. "Come on, man. Open your eyes."

"They … I saw what they did to him."

Sam's gaze was pulled from Dean; looking back at Tabitha his expression became sympathetic. Seeing what she had seen at the hands of these vampires would be awful for someone like him to see let alone a civilian who had no idea what the hell was going on.

He brought his attention back to Dean, squeezing his brother's shoulder. "Dean … please just wake up."

Sam didn't know whether it was the pleading in his voice but Dean stirred again, his eyes fluttering open. He looked dazed but Sam wasn't worried. Dealing with dazed was better than dead.

"That's it." Sam smiled.

Dean shivered and tried to curl in on himself, the wounds making harder to accomplish without pain.

"You're cold."

"No … really?"

The sarcasm was almost more of a relief than Dean being awake. "If I had my jacket I would have given it to you … you want my shirt?"

Dean raised his eyebrows with what seemed like a humongous effort. "Then y-you'll be cold. What … kinda brother would t-that … make me?"

Sam sighed, giving his brother a knowing smile. "I'm not the one surviving despite massive blood loss right now."

"I…I'm f-fine …"

"Sure you are," Sam placated as he eased himself out of his shirt. "But I have still have my t-shirt, and you always taught me to share, remember?"

"So … you _do_ listen …" Dean mumbled.

"I always listen to you, Dean."

"Just n-not Dad."

Sam sighed. Now was not the time or the place to rehash this old argument. "I did listen … I just didn't always agree. There's a difference." A shiver ran through Sam, the bare skin on his biceps already forming goosebumps. "Hey, let's get you up …"

"Do we have to?"

"…and into this shirt." Sam ignored Dean's protest and positioned himself so that he could pull Dean up against him. Looking up into the concerned brown eyes of Tabitha, Sam gestured with his head to Dean's other side. "You mind helping me." He could already feel his ribs protesting, the biting cold wasn't helping him feel any better.

"Sure." Tabitha moved and positioned herself on the opposite side of Dean, looking awkward.

"He's not going to bite." Sam almost snapped, wrapping his fingers around Dean's upper arm. "Just help lift him and I'll do the rest."

"It's okay. I want to help."

Sam nodded, grateful for the help and then concentrated on his shivering brother. Sam pulled Dean towards him as Tabitha got her hands underneath him and levered him up so that both had him sitting upright. Dean gave a shuddering groan and closed his eyes against the dizziness that the different altitude brought. Sam remained on his knees, sitting back on his legs and let Dean's body lean in towards him, his brother's head resting against his chest. Sam grunted at the light pressure of Dean against him.

"Sammy." In true Dean fashion worry for Sam became his main concern. Sam looked down and saw his long eyelashes flicker apart again. Dean leaned his head back, his eyes searching Sam's face. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, let's just worry about you for a moment."

"You … y-you're hurt."

Sam got to work trying to avoid Dean's gaze and his questions. With Dean's body being held up by his own, Sam used his freed hands to work Dean's left arm through his shirt sleeve while Tabitha did the same for his right, both being mindful of the cuts on his forearms.

"It's okay. I'm fine, I swear." Sam's shirt size was bigger than Dean's own but it worked out well in this case. He began rubbing his hand up and down Dean's arm to try and bring some warmth back.

"I'm … sorry, Sammy."

Sam shook his head. "Nothing is your fault here." Sometimes he felt like he could strangle Dean for always finding a way to blame himself for everything.

Tabitha was already moving to the front of Dean and doing up the shirt buttons before Sam even had to ask. He watched her hands shaking as she did each button.

"You weren't … supposed to be h-hurt." Dean's eyes lowered, his head resting more against Sam's chest so that Sam could only see the top of Dean's head.

And there it was. Dean had been protecting him again. Sam loved his brother for it but he hated that it always ended with Dean getting hurt or worse. "I'm not that happy about you almost heading downstairs ahead of schedule either."

"They killed her, Sam."

This was new. Dean's voice cracked a little as he spoke and Sam found himself looking up to Tabitha to see if she knew what the hell he was talking about.

"Who did they kill?"

"N…Nicole…"

Sam was confused. Who the hell was Nicole?

"There was a group of us here," Tabitha explained shakily, sitting Indian style in front of Dean and looking at her lands in her lap. "It feels like we've been here for weeks, Ben and I. There were people here before we got here … they _fed_ off them slowly over time."

Sam nodded in understanding. He remembered Dean reading the research to him in the car as they followed their Dad's truck the first time they had encountered Kate and her nest. Vampire's usually kept people alive for weeks, bleeding them slowly. Dean had seemed disgusted when reading it and rightly so.

"They made her call someone. I'm guessing that was your brother. They … they practically ripped the poor girl apart."

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

Tabitha shrugged off Sam's attempt at comfort but he could tell that she was far from alright over what she had seen. "Me and Ben were the only ones left after that ..." She didn't finish her sentence but she didn't need to.

"It's … my fault." Dean's voice was breathless and reeked with self recrimination. "Got here too late."

Sam frowned down at his brother, holding him a little bit tight. "You had no way of knowing, dude. Stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault."

"They killed her as soon as she got off the phone," Tabitha supplied and Sam gave her a thankful look before looking back down at his brother.

"See, dude, there was nothing you could have done. They were going to kill her anyway"

Tabitha shifted uncomfortably. "Uh … Sam?"

"Yeah?" Sam raised his eyebrows in question, still absentmindedly rubbing Dean's arm.

"What are these things?"

Sam considered his answer a moment before finally speaking. "Vampires." The truth was probably less believable but he went with it anyway.

"You mean people who think they are vampires right? Vampires don't exist."

Dean's glazed expression shifted from Tabitha up to Sam. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. "Sammy …"

Sam was glad for the interruption. "Yeah, man?"

"There's a girl here."

"You just figure that out, huh?" Sam couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips at Dean's delayed observation. "That's Tabitha … Tabitha this is my brother Dean." It felt stupid making introductions like they were at some stupid bar instead of in some stupid vampire's lair.

"Hi …" Tabitha gave his brother an unsure smile and a little wave to which he reciprocated a lot less co-ordinated than she had.

Sam shivered in the cold, looking around him. He could still hear the rain beating down outside. He didn't exactly want to leave Dean but the need to get up and check their surroundings was calling to him. He doubted there would be an easy escape but he needed to check anyway.

"How's your throat, dude?"

Dean swallowed, brought his hand up slowly to his neck but it was intercepted by Sam's hand.

"Don't touch it, man."

"Sick …fucking bastards," Dean cursed, leaning more into Sam, unconsciously seeking more warmth. "I feel sick."

"I know." Sam rubbed his brothers back in soothing circles. "But don't worry, alright. Bobby's comin'."

"Hopefully his rescue is more successful than yours," Tabitha commented from her spot in front of Dean.

Dean cracked an eye open and Sam didn't have to see his brothers face completely to know that he was frowning at her. "Dean…" Sam called trying to get his brothers attention back. "Hey I need to do a little recon. Will you be all right?"

"Go Sam." Dean's voice was breathless but there was conviction in it and it gave Sam hope. Lowering Dean to the ground once more Dean began shaking his head. "What is it?"

"I wanna … sit up."

Instead of continuing Dean's descent to the floor, Sam moved them both back a bit so that Dean's back was now leaning against the cage wall. "This okay."

"Terrific …" Dean assured him tiredly.

Dean wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm as Sam scooted back allowing the cage to take his brothers weight. Sam watched him for a moment, hating the minute shivers coursing through Dean's body.

Standing up slowly, Sam bit his lip to hold back a gasp as the movement spiked pain through his torso. His ribs needed to be wrapped at least but they had nothing with which to do that so he was going to have to up with it. He kept his arm pressed to his side, making an automatic attempt to put pressure on the source of his discomfort.

Looking around, Sam walked over to the outer barn wall and ran the hand that wasn't pressed to his body over the wood panelling there. He pushed against it, coming to the conclusion that it was strong. He began walking along the wall, looking up and then down to the bottom, looking for anything, anything that might show a weakness or an opportunity.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Tabitha asked coming to stand beside him as he made his trek around the cage.

"I'll know it if I see it." But he couldn't see it. There was nothing, not one useful thing to help them to escape on their own but Sam's mind didn't want to admit to the fact. He'd finally found Dean but now there was nothing he could do to save him.

"Well?" Tabitha asked when they came back to the point Sam had started at. "We're screwed aren't we?"

Sam turned to look down at her. Now that they were both standing he could see how small she was. The top of her head only reached his chest. "We're not screwed okay."

Tabitha's eyes watered again and she turned her head, not looking at Sam. "You didn't see what they …

"I promise you." Sam grabbed her by the shoulders once more, wincing at the pull it had on his damaged ribs. "We will get out of this." He hoped that he could keep that promise.

Sam released Tabitha's shoulders and turned back to his brother who from a distance looked dead. If it weren't for the constant shivering Sam might have actually believed that he was. They were cutting it way too close.

Sam took a step back towards his brother but stopped dead in his tracks when the small door opened once again, vampires filing in. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt the disadvantage in his gut. He was trapped in a crazy vampires barn with Dean's small dagger his only weapon.

Kate sauntered up to the cage, leaning close to be able to see inside and smiled in what Sam could only describe as gleeful anticipation. Sam swallowed hard, his anticipation not so gleeful.

"It's Showtime, kids."

xXx

Eye's shielded by the brim of his cap; Bobby stood on the embankment and watched for a moment as the red van rumbled on back down the road, fading out in the darkness and rain.

At first he hadn't seen the Impala. It had been hard enough seeing anything through the teeming rain but knowing that Sam would have hidden the Impala. It gave Bobby a place to start looking. A glint off the Impala's windscreen when the van's lights hit it had alerted Bobby to its presence and he had almost opened the door then and there before Carl had brought the van to a stop.

Payed up and thanked Carl had been sent on his way and Bobby was left standing by the side of the road, his duffle in hand already soaked through. Blowing out through his lips Bobby sprayed water out that was collecting on his lips and beard and then carefully made is way down the muddy embankment towards the Impala.

Tree branches kept hitting the sides with the force of the wind blowing them around and Bobby knew that Dean would notice if there were any scratches in the paint. The boy seemed to have an eye for that car, finding things that even Sam and Bobby couldn't see unless they really looked.

He headed to the back and quickly broke into the trunk. It was an emergency and he really didn't care whether Dean had an issue with it.

Bobby had brought the bare minimum with him weapon wise because it was hard to carry weapons on a plane but also because he knew he would be meeting up with the boys and they carried an arsenal big enough for the three of them.

He picked up the spare machete sitting haphazardly in the weapons cache, tied its sheaf to his belt and then picked up a 9mm. It wouldn't do much good against a vampire but he felt better having it on him anyways.

The sound of a twig snapping managed to get through the sound of the rain and the wind and Bobby was instantly on alert, closing the trunk and looking around, eyes slits to try and improve his vision through the harsh conditions.

Who he really wanted to see right now, was the boys. They weren't back at the Impala and Bobby was worried what that meant. He gazed into the trees and bushes, more than anything hoping to see the familiar shape of Sam and/or Dean but nothing seemed to be there.

He began to think that he had imagined it when a flash of something caught in his peripheral. Bobby's head whipped to the side and he felt a hint of panic sting him. Taking the machete out and holding it in front of him Bobby tensed and readied himself to defend himself.

A woman walked out from behind the trees. Her long wet dark hair was blowing like crazy in the wind and as she approached he could see the paleness of her skin … fucking vampires.

"Aww Dammit." He hadn't thought he would be found out so quickly and from the looks of things he was outnumbered. Things didn't look good but Bobby would be damned if he was going down without a fight.

He glanced around him at the others surrounding him. It was hard to tell in the dark how many there were but he doubted he was getting out of this as a winner.

A male vampire stepped forward, all in blue denim and placed his arm out in front of the female stopping her from getting any closer and Bobby tightened his hold on the machete and cocked his head to the side.

"Don't get too close."

Hand on the male's arm, the female kept her eyes on Bobby as she spoke. "Its okay, Eli."

"It's far from okay, lady. What the hell have you done with those boys?" Bobby growled, waiting for one of them to make a move, feeling even more unsettled that no-one had.

TBC ...

* * *

So ... is Bobby in trouble?

We are really on the home stretch now :) I really hope you enjoyed this read and I will be back in no longer than 2 weeks (sooner if I have my way but I know what my life is like lately lol) ohh and I have started up a LiveJournal page now. Not that it matter but I thought I would let people know that I am rambling over there now.

**http : / / lovinjackson . livejournal . com /** --(join it all together)

Hope you are all having an awesome weekend and I will see you soon :)

Tara x0x


	13. Hope

**Authors Notes: **It's been a long time, over 2 months and I really am ashamed. I'm not going to go through all the normal excuses because you have heard them all before and I feel like im repeating myself and I'm sure you all would rather skip that part. It's never taken me this long to update a story and just know that it has been driving me nuts for the past few months and that I am really sorry. Thanks to Angelustatt and Mum ... they helped a lot in bringing this chapter to completion and keeping me sane during the long wait. I owe a whle heap of you for your continued support during my absence. Thanks everyone. Any mistakes are mine and I hope I didnt miss too many in my haste to get this posted tonight!

* * *

**Chapter 13. Hope**

"We're not going to hurt you."

"Really?" Bobby's voice rose ever so slightly to be heard over the wind and rain. "That second set of teeth you have beg to differ, darlin'"

"If we wanted you dead you would be dead by now." The woman pushed forward and Bobby raised the machete a little higher in anticipation. "If you want to save your friends I suggest you listen to me."

Bobby felt torn. He knew they were vampires and his natural instinct was to fight, to take them out but then the other part of him, the part that was well hidden but deathly afraid he would be too late to save the boys was waging a war within him.

"You're surrounded, what have you got to lose?" Bobby glared at the other vampire, Eli she had called him. "Other than your friends of course."

Bobby tried to ignore the rain hitting his face even as it was causing him to blink every few seconds. He was bound to catch pneumonia before he even reached the boys at this rate.

"Give me one good reason why I should trust you," Bobby growled into the wind.

"Because Sam did."

"What?"

"If it weren't for those boys of yours in there we probably wouldn't be here arguing with you right now, old man," Eli replied impatiently.

Bobby glanced at the vampires surrounding him, most of them shrouded in shadows and the dark of night. He turned back to look at the two lead vampires. He didn't recognise them and there was no reason why he should. Bobby had never known a vampire long enough to get acquainted but something clicked, information falling together to paint Bobby the picture he needed to lower his weapon … a little.

"You're Lenore."

xXxXxXx

Cold.

Biting cold stung throughout his body as he tried to listen to the voices talking around him.

They were in trouble. The danger was back. Sam was standing a few feet away from him and wavering in and out of his vision. He wanted to be closer to Sam. He wanted that connection, that physical connection with his brother.

"What the hell do want with us?" There was venom in Sam's voice as he spoke to whoever was standing on the other side of the cage.

"Straight to the point …"

Kate's voice came in loud and clear like she was standing right behind him and Dean tensed. He knew that he should move despite that the cage still separated him from the vampire but he couldn't find the energy. His limbs felt heavy.

"Please don't hurt us!" Tabitha pleaded in a high pitched wail.

"Shh … it's okay," Sam soothed the once again borderline hysterical black woman before turning his gaze to Kate. "Answer the damn question, bitch."

"Is that any way to speak to your host, Sammy?"

"My name is _Sam_."

"Can we get over this little petulant act? You want to know what the score is, or not?"

"Dad … Sammy, s-she wants … Dad." He remembered now. He remembered that she wanted to get revenge on their father for killing her mate. He remembered that it still killed him a little to keep having to repeat that his Dad was dead. The only thing that saved him from really losing it was that John was no longer in Hell.

"Dean, glad to see you're still with us. Your new friends are eager to finish their supper."

"You keep your filthy friends away from my brother, you hear me? I _will_ kill you!"

Dean fought the fatigue trying to take him under and looked up at Sam when he heard the dangerous fire in the younger man's tone. He wondered if he sounded like that? To Dean, that tone sounded an awful lot like John Winchester. He wondered if Sam knew how much he was like their father.

"I'd like to see you try, Sammy."

"Dad's … d-dead," Dean whispered, pulling Sam's shirt more around him, seeking warmth, concentrating on the one thing that this bitch couldn't seem to grasp. "He's dead … damn … it!" Dean closed his eyes and tried to breathe properly. His heart was beating way to fast, almost fluttering at times. It was being overworked with the amount of blood that had been taken from his body.

"So you keep saying." Kate's replied sounding bored but one look at Sam, even with his blurry vision, and Dean could see his brother's anger building.

"He's telling you the truth." Sam confirmed what Dean had been trying to get across ever since he had been caught. "He died over a year and a half ago."

"I don't believe you."

Dean huffed out a frustrated breath, wrapping his arms around his middle, shivering. It didn't matter what they said or who told her, she was determined to get her revenge, truth be damned.

He wanted to let sleep take him but he couldn't, he couldn't leave Sam alone with these freaks.

A loud clap of thunder overhead was followed up by a bright flash of lightning. The white light spraying through the wooden planks of the barn wall illuminating the area with bright light and just as fast as it had come it was gone again. The shadows returned, heavy rain its background.

There was a hand on his arm and Dean flinched until his fuzzy brain caught up and recognised the touch as Sam. He wondered how he hadn't noticed Sam move. He must have faded out for a moment, gotten caught up with the sudden flash of light.

"Well then I don't know what to tell you." Sam wasn't looking at him. He was still looking over Dean's shoulder to where the vampire was standing on the other side of the cage but Dean felt better now that Sam was close.

There was a pause and Dean wondered what was going on. He hated being on the outer, hated not knowing what was going on, and he hated that he felt like the world was spinning out from under him whenever he moved too much. Despite hating everything about their current situation he trusted his brother, even if said brother had managed to get himself caught in the same vampires nest that Dean had been trying to keep him out of. Bobby wouldn't let them down. The older hunter was out there and a rescue could be coming at any minute. That was something else Dean had absolute faith in.

Back in Chicago when Meg had told them that John had actually come to town for them, Dean had been a little shocked because John never answered his phone, he hadn't even contacted them when Dean had been dying in Nebraska. But Bobby was different. Even after the long distance between them all, Bobby would have come in a heartbeat if any one of them had called, that included John. Bobby had always held that safe certainty for Dean that John had lost a little after disappearing.

"… what? You're right."

Sam's hand was on the back of his neck now and Dean realised that he had missed part of the conversation. He blinked his eyes open to help him remain focused.

"Our Dad _is_ alive."

Dean scrunched his face up at that statement and looked up at his brother as if he had lost his mind. Dad was dead. He _had_ been for too long and what the hell was Sam talking about? Sam's hand squeezed the back of his neck and glanced down at him for a moment with a reassuring gaze before looking back up.

Sam was playing into it. It made perfect sense and Dean wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of it before.

This case had him screwed up from the beginning and now when they were right in the thick of things his concentration was no-where where it needed to be. Dean nodded his head slightly in understanding, letting Sam know he understood what was going on. He was with it.

"Where is he?"

"Having trouble finding him?" Sam asked almost smugly.

There was another pause and Dean wondered if she was starting to wonder herself. "I don't need to find him, Sammy. I have you. He _will_ come to me."

Sam snorted, his eyes looking around them theatrically before resting back above Dean. "Don't hold your breath."

"Aww, does Sammy think that Daddy doesn't care?" Kate mocked and Dean wanted to rip her throat out. "I beg to differ. I saw all of his possessions in that truck. He cares about you two more than anything."

"No, not more than anything …" Sam's voice was lower now and Dean looked up at the familiar sentence. He had heard it before from Sam but in a different setting. He had a sudden flash of Sam's expressive eyes looking at him from the rear-view mirror of the Impala before he was brought back to the present.

Dean heard Kate shift and judging by the way Sam looked up higher he guessed that she was standing straight again.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Kate asked.

Dean shifted, feeling Sam tighten his grip on him, but allowing him the space to move. Resting his head on the cage, Dean twisted so that he was leaning on his side, Sam behind him. He could see Kate and he felt better now that he could see the enemy.

Kate lifted a cell phone to her ear. "Your father hasn't responded to our attempts at contact. Since John Winchester is proving to be such a coward I was thinking of sending him a little motivation."

"Please …" Tabitha cried again.

Dean tried to ignore Tabitha's frightened cry as he blearily watched the other vampires working for Kate come closer to the cage. He had a bad feeling … but then he was also suffering from blood loss. Sam's hand moved to his shoulder and gripped it almost painfully.

"He won't come, he's not stupid," Sam stated, ready to stand between him and Dean should the vampires breach the cage. Dean felt like he needed to be more mobile. He wanted to stand but was afraid that if he actually made it to his feet he would come crashing back down. "Besides, you've probably got the wrong number. He doesn't keep the same one for very long and if you were basing your whole plan on a phone call you really don't know my father."

Tabitha shrieked and moved closer to Sam, clutching his t-shirt when two of the nameless vampires approached the door to their cage. They weren't as big as the two that had feasted on him before but they didn't need to be. Vampires had an advantage of strength over them even when they were at the top of their game. Sam would stand his ground but in the end Dean knew that they were out numbered and would be made to do as they were told. Sam stumbled as Tabitha's movements knocked him his brother's side, causing both of them to gasp.

"Tabitha, calm down!"

"I can't!"

"Yes you can."

Sam's efforts on getting her to calm down were wasted as the door to the cage scraped open, garnering Dean's attention. He had the urge to back up as she actually started crying in paralysing fear. Only it wasn't paralysing as she left the make believe safety of Sam and cowered in the corner of the room. Now that the vampires were on their side of the cage wall, Dean didn't feel so calm himself. On a normal day he would have been standing tall, showing no fear to the enemy, just like he had been taught but it was hard to keep that calm exterior when he couldn't stop his limbs from trembling. He could fight them but he wouldn't last two seconds and either way he looked at it Sam was left by himself. He was scared. If you didn't have fear in moments like this you were crazy. He had always believed in that saying but it was made much more apparent now.

"Sammy…" Dean blinked a few times. He needed to be more alert.

He felt Sam trying to help him slide back away from the approaching Vampires. Dean tried to get his feet under him. When it was obvious that Dean's co-ordination skills weren't helping Sam gently let go and then stood in front of him, in a stance that dared them to try taking him. Dean managed to stay upright on his hands and knees, sucking in short gasps of air as he made a concentrated effort to get to his feet. He felt like congratulating himself when he pushed himself up and his legs, although shaky, held.

"Stay away from him," Sam warned.

The new altitude had Dean's head spinning and he stumbled forward, fingers gripping the back of Sam's t-shirt to keep from face-planting. He wanted to tell Tabitha to shut up, that her crying wasn't doing anything but giving these sadistic bastards satisfaction. He felt one of Sam's hands reach back as if to try and help Dean stay standing.

"Don't wait for permission," Kate called in frustration and Dean couldn't tell if the frustration was coming from the lack of phone response or her loyal subject's slow movements. "Just don't hurt the tall one … too much. Troy wants him for later."

"You're not getting him."

Dean could hear the sneer without even seeing Sam's face. He felt strange standing behind his brother. He wanted to be the one standing between Sam and danger, not the other way around.

"Step aside, boy."

"I don't think so."

"Sam …" Dean didn't like where this was heading. The last thing he wanted to do was allow those blood suckers to have another chance at him. In fact just the thought of it almost had him gagging but the thought of Sam getting hurt was even worse.

"It's okay, Dean."

"I'm not going to tell you again, boy."

Sam remained standing, not moving a muscle, not retreating further. "And I won't tell you again."

"Fine, you want to play this the hard way?" The Vampire looked over his shoulder to his friend and cocked his head in the direction of Tabitha. The second vampire didn't have to be told twice. He strode over to the hysterical girl in four long steps and wrenched her from her self imposed ball of fear against the wall and wrapped his arm around her throat, cutting off her terrified scream.

"You don't get out of our way, we will rip her apart."

"And they won't bother with keeping her alive like they will your brother, Sam." Kate warned her concentration no longer on the phone in her hands.

"Step aside, Sam," Dean rasped. The hand that wasn't holding onto the back of Sam reached up to his injured neck. He didn't want to go with them but he didn't want an innocent girl dying on his head either.

"What?" Sam asked without turning around. "Are you crazy?"

Tabitha screamed as the vampire dragged her closer to the door and the vampire in front of Sam lifted an eyebrow, silently telling him to move. It was all a freaking game. They could have taken him by force just as easy.

"Wait!" Tabitha pleaded she was dragged through the door. "I know things … I … please let me go and I'll tell you everything," she sobbed.

All eyes in the barn went to the captive. Sam backed Dean up towards the wall a little more while the vampire's attention was elsewhere. Dean's strength was waning. He felt woozy, like he had spun around on one of those office swivel chairs for too long. He was grateful when he felt his hand and then his back connect with the splintered wood of the barn wall. They had nowhere else to go now but he had something supporting him, he was less reliant on Sam to keep him up.

"Well, well, well …" Kate snapped the cell phone shut and walked over to Tabitha who was struggling in the hands of the two vampires. "And just what is it that you think is worth your life?"

"Some…someone's coming …"

"Tabitha," Sam warned.

"They said something about someone coming for them," Tabitha explained, purposely not looking back at them and Dean felt angry. He had been willing to jump in and let them take him as soon as she had been threatened and here she was giving them up at the first opportunity.

She was scared and he got that. It was stupid not to be scared but to actually turn on them? He wasn't even sure what he felt. Fair enough, she didn't exactly know them but hadn't this woman watched enough movies by now to know that the bad guys never let you go, not for handing over the pitiful amount of information she had on them.

Kate looked smug as she glanced back at them. "So he is coming."

"Th…They said something about a guy called Bobby," Tabitha elaborated, her voice shaking in fear, tears running down her face.

Kate's attention snapped back to the woman in front of her. Apparently Bobby hadn't been the person she had assumed was coming to get them. "Bobby," she spoke the name as if testing it on her tongue and confusion claimed her features as if she couldn't work out why this 'Bobby' was coming for them but John wasn't.

"Please … p-please just let me go. I won't tell a soul. I promise. Please …"

"One of you shut her up," Kate ordered, waving her hand in annoyance. "No-one is going free. Vince, Rochelle, head outside and keep an eye out. Janelle, go and see what's keeping Troy." She turned back to look at Sam who was still on the defensive. "Now, Sam, where were we? Oh that's right, step aside or the pathetic little bitch here gets it."

"Sam." Dean spoke before Sam could tell her no. He wasn't happy with Tabitha either but he wasn't going to let her be killed or worse because of him. They just needed time, time for Bobby to come through with a better rescue plan and then maybe they could all get out of there alive.

"Sam, move," he pleaded quietly.

Sam was fighting himself. He could picture his brother, his lips thinned in frustration, jaw clenched and normally soft eyes, hard and glaring at the vampire ready to rip him from Sam's protection.

For an agonizingly long moment, Dean thought Sam was going to stand his ground but then suddenly Sam was moving to the side, turning his body so that he was facing his brother, one hand pressed to his side as if in pain and Dean wondered how he had not noticed that before now. In a strange way, Dean was glad that the other vampire, Troy, had ordered Sam for himself. It kept his brother from being hurt further. He could handle anything that came his way as long as he knew that Sam was going to be okay.

As soon as Sam stood back Dean felt hands knock past Sam and clutch at his borrowed shirt. Dean was pulled forward and lost his footing almost immediately with the fast, rough motion. He heard Sam's grunt of pain as he past him and the younger man was pushed out of the way. He could hear his own strained breathing as he was all but dragged out through the open cage door and dumped unceremoniously on the ground in front of Kate.

There was the sound of a body hitting the ground and more crying and Dean assumed that they had dumped Tabitha back into their prison but he didn't look. He kept his head down for a moment to get himself under control before forcing his head up, his eyes meeting Kate's.

"Dean!" Sam shouted.

"Don't worry, Sam, we're just going to leave your Dad a little message." Kate held up the cell phone. Dean recognised it as his own. "Tell me, Dean, if your father is really dead then why is it you still have him listed in here."

Dean's eyes slid to Sam's and then back to Kate but said nothing. He wasn't going to say it again.

"I just told you he's alive," Sam growled, hands pressed against the mesh caging.

"Your brother's been persistent, but it doesn't matter that you're finally admitting it now because I_ know_ he's alive. I knew it as soon as we found his truck, it screams of your father's scent and he's been good at evading me, I'll admit that, but that's what I have you boys for. He's been hiding from me for long enough."

The vampire was crazy. Dean had known she was a few fries short of a Happy Meal when he'd first seen her again, but if there had been any doubt there wasn't any longer. The woman had convinced herself that John was alive and he had been hiding from _her_. Nothing was going to change her mind. They had no proof even if they wanted to prove it. There was no record of his death. Elroy McGuillicuddy had died in that hospital, not John Winchester and they hadn't exactly advertised his death.

Kate pressed a few buttons on Dean's phone and then held the device out for Dean to take.

"What …" he paused as his breath caught. "What do you expect me to do with that?"

"I think you know. Take the phone, Dean."

"I'd rather not."

Fresh pain exploded across Dean's face, stars exploding in front of his eyes and he found himself staring up at a blurry version of the ceiling. Why was he even denying her what she wanted? It wasn't as if his Dad was really going to get the message. No, Dean was pretty sure that his phone didn't cater for long distance of that kind.

He didn't want to hear his father's voice on the voicemail message. John's voice had such presence; it had always given such a sense of calm as a child because he knew that Dad would keep them safe. Now, it brought about pain and longing.

He came back to himself when pressure was put on his bloody throat, cutting off his oxygen, precious air that he had been forcing in and out of his lungs since being attacked was taken from him and Kate's face loomed above him and he realised belatedly that it was her boot that was on his throat. A weak hand came up and wrapped around the vampire's ankle and pulled ineffectually as he could hear his brother's not so happy voice in the background.

Kate leaned in close, the pressure carefully exercised on his throat. He could hear his own heartbeat pounding rapidly in his ears again as panic from lack of oxygen set in.

As suddenly as the pressure had appeared it was gone, leaving Dean gasping. Large hands were in his shirt and lifting him up with what seemed like no effort whatsoever and slamming his back into the cage. He grunted with the pain of the impact, Sam's voice loud and threatening in his ear alerted Dean to the fact that his brother was right behind, separated by strong mesh of metal. He couldn't work out what was being said, his head spun wildly as his lungs tried to accumulate the air it had been deprived. But he knew the tone in Sam's voice. He wasn't just mad anymore, he was livid.

"Fine, you want to be stubborn? Go ahead, Michael."

Kate pressed some buttons and then held the phone to her ear and smiled as she spoke but Dean didn't hear whatever it was she was saying. The vampire holding him against the cage was suddenly in his personal space, leaning in and it didn't take much for Dean to understand what was about to happen again. Sam's frantic, angry voice right behind him solidified it.

"Stop!! Get away from!"

Self preservation kicked in and Dean started a feeble struggle. With his upper body pinned down Dean kicked out, lifting his knee only to have it blocked. His muscles tensed as he strained against the vampire. He desperately didn't want the thing's teeth anywhere near him. He could still remember the feeling of his blood being drained, sucked from his body and it was something that he hadn't wanted to go through again.

"Get away you sic…" He was cut off mid sentence as his efforts at holding the vampire back failed. A gasp caught in his throat and his eyes snapped shut with the feel of sharp incisors entering already torn flesh. Sam was yelling, pounding on the cage behind him. Dean could feel each impact of Sam's attack on the cage as his body sagged and his mind retreated to its only escape.

xXx

"Dean!" Sam shouted, wide eyes watching as his brother's body lost its fight. "Damn it! You're going to kill him. Let him go!"

"Hear that, Winchester? I don't think Dean has much time left. If you want to see either of your boys alive again I suggest you get a move on." With that Kate snapped the phone shut and smiled, not at all worried with Sam's threats. "Michael, enough. Leave some for the others." Placing a hand on the Vampire's shoulder, Kate pulled him back a little.

Sam looked on in horror at Michael's mouth as blood dribbled down his dark stubbled chin. Dean was released and he slumped bonelessly to the ground. The sight of his brother's blood on the vampire's lips made Sam feel sick to his stomach and to make matters worse Dean had hardly made a sound during the whole thing. Sam wasn't even sure if the older hunter was breathing.

"Dean!" God, he was alive wasn't he? "Dean, answer me, man!" It was obvious Dean was no longer conscious but Sam couldn't stop himself still trying to get his brothers attention anyway.

"Your brother doesn't seem to be doing so well at the moment, Sam."

"I thought you wanted him alive until our Dad got here?" It was what Sam had been counting on.

Kate walked forward a little and lifted Dean's head. "My new friends might have gone a little overboard the first time around."

"What? What the hell does that mean?"

"Don't fret, Sammy. He's still alive … just."

"You're not going to get away with this."

"I suppose you believe this Bobby will save you? Are you really that naive to believe that just one person alone will get you out of this?"

Sam pushed off the cage and turned his back on Kate, the separation from his brother almost unbearable; Tabitha's quiet crying causing him to glare in her direction. "Yeah, well Bobby isn't _just_ anyone," Sam muttered to himself.

With his back to Kate, Sam fumed. There was nothing he could do to help Dean. No amount of struggle or outward emotion as going to help. All it accomplished was making the situation more fun for Kate. Hell, Sam would beg if he knew it would serve the purpose of freeing his brother. But begging did nothing. Tabitha had just learnt that lesson. She had betrayed the only people that could help her and received nothing for her trouble.

Sam allowed his eyes to rest on the huddled mess of trembling, crying woman as he thought of Dean. His brother had willingly given himself up so that she wouldn't be hurt and now he looked so close to dead that it was hard to stomach.

It was even colder now; Sam could feel it in his bones, in the painful ache of his broken ribs. His thin t-shirt did nothing against the cold temperature.

"I sure will enjoy killing your father with this thing."

Sam frowned, his curiosity getting the better of him. He turned slightly, trying to ignore his brothers still figure. His eyes moved until Kate was back into view. His body followed when he saw a familiar object in her hands. Kate was holding the colt.

In a way it was the colt that had started this chapter in their lives. John had tested the gun's supernatural killing power by saving his life, taking out the vampire, Kate's mate. Now Kate was going to turn the tables on them. She obviously intended to finish what was started two years previous.

Sam's eyes couldn't remain on the colt any longer. Dean was still there and as much as he was trying to ignore that fact to save his sanity, he found his eyes were drawn back down to him of their own accord. He was too still. Dean was never still.

Fear and helplessness was helping to push the cold and pain aside. He was holding onto hope. All he had right now was hope that Bobby would burst in any moment now and save their asses.

With conditions the way they were, Sam knew that if something didn't happen soon to get them out of this, Dean wouldn't be cold anymore. He would be burning in the fiery pits of hell for eternity. God, wasn't it enough that they had to stress survival every day on hunts? Now they couldn't even die in peace because there would be no peace for his brother, Dean had made sure of that himself.

"What's the matter, Sammy?" Kate asked sweetly.

"Oh I don't know. Could it be that I'm trapped inside a crazy bitch's barn as she slowly kills my brother."

"Don't get all 'poor me' Sam. It's not a pretty look on you. Besides…" she shrugged, running her index finger along the business end of the colt. "You and your brother aren't so innocent. You destroyed my whole nest before your father killed Luther. You deserve to die just as much as he does."

Sam scoffed and rolled his eyes upward, resting a hand on the mesh caging. He brought his unbelieving gaze to rest back on Kate's. "But killing innocent people is okay though?"

Kate sneered. "We have just as much right to live as you do."

"So do the people you kill," Sam argued. "There are other ways for your kind to survive."

"And degrade ourselves?" Kate shook her head in disgust. "I don't think so."

Sam huffed in frustration, gave a quick glance down to his brother before leaning more forward, left hand joining the other one. He really didn't want to be having a conversation with her when Dean was barely alive at his feet but he felt like biding time was the only thing he could actively do to help them survive. He needed to keep her attention on him and not piss her off too much because she wouldn't forget that Dean was in striking distance.

"It's been a long time, Kate, why now?"

Kate looked at him like he was stupid. "You took out my whole family, Sam. I needed time to rebuild, to prepare so that when I finally found you I could make you suffer the way you deserve to. But I have to say that if your father thinks hiding like the coward he is will save him? He's pathetically mistaken."

Another loud clash thundered overhead, followed by smaller ones. The night sky lit up outside like floodlights and seeped through into the barn making Kate's eyes shine in the tell tale signs of a Vampire. Her skin was unnaturally pale, sickeningly not unlike Dean's.

Kate paused to allow Mother Nature to bellow, licking her lips, her face becoming hard, no humour or sarcasm behind it. "But let me tell you one thing. The longer he takes to come for you and your brother the more inclined I am to drain you both and leave your empty carcasses for the authorities to find."

The door creaked open, the wind almost taking it from the hands of the person that had opened it. Kate immediately turned around to find the source of the noise. A drenched, female vampire approached, wiping her hair back out of her eyes.

"Where is Troy?"

"I can't find him."

"What do you mean you can't find him?"

"Just what I said. He's not in the house and I searched around the yard but I couldn't see him. Vince and Rochelle aren't out there either."

Kate turned back to stare at Sam, chewing on the inside of her lip as she seemed to be working out things in her mind. Sam met her gaze head on, looking directly into her eyes. Hope soared through him at the unexplained disappearance of the others. That could only mean one thing couldn't it?

_Woosh!!_

Sam finally broke contact with Kate's gaze as gasps and startled noises were heard over the downpour outside. Janelle, the returning vampire, stood staring at Kate dazed, an arrow sticking out of her chest.

Time blurred for a moment and when it returned to normal, the big guy next to Dean was falling back onto the cage, an arrow sticking out of _his_ chest. The next few moments were chaos. People appeared from the overhead loft, the big main doors slammed open, and the wild wind swinging them back even faster as figures moved in.

Sam's breath got stuck in his throat as he watched, not quite comprehending what was going on. His mind came back into action as a familiar figure rushed through, baseball cap and all. Allowing the fighting to go on around him, Bobby, machete in hand, ran to the cage door only quickly glancing in shock at the form of Dean on the floor.

"Bobby!"

"Stand back!" Bobby shouted over the raging weather. He pulled a gun from his waist band and stood back a step, firing at the lock keeping Sam inside.

Bobby's shot hit its target and the lock shattered. Bobby didn't hesitate in throwing it to the ground. He stood back to let Sam pass, looking once at the frightened form of Tabitha in the corner.

"Dean!" Sam leant down and placed his fingers against Dean's throat, ignoring the slickness there. "Oh god … thank god." Dean moaned, Sam could feel it against his fingers. He held onto that as just another sign that Dean was still with him.

Crouching by his brother, Sam turned to find Bobby standing guard over them. The older man almost seemed in awe at the sight before them. It was like an old fashioned barn yard brawl, only more vicious and bloody.

"Bobby, what the hell?"

"I had some help." Bobby indicated to a pale dark haired woman in the process of slicing through a vampire's neck with a Machete.

Sam's eyes widened as her face came into view as the body dropped. "You're kidding me?"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, but Dean …"

"We'll have to worry about him later."

"What?" Sam was about to argue until he saw Bobby's attention snap up to his right. Sam followed the man's alarmed gaze. Five more Vampires moved in, these ones carrying weapons and ready for a fight. "Shit!"

"That's a tame way to put it." Bobby quipped as he stepped forward, machete raised. "Get your brother inside that cage now, Sam." Bobby took another step forward, swinging the machete down as one of the approaching vampires lunged right for them.

Sam turned away, needing no more encouragement, and reached for his brother, pulling him up and awkwardly dragging him back into the cell. He found it ironic that all this time they had wanted to escape and now here he was dragging Dean right back into the small prison.

Laying his brother on the cold floor, Sam reluctantly stood, hissing as his ribs protested. He was going to be hurting for a while once they got out of this. Turning, he quickly reached Tabitha's side and pulled her resisting form to her feet.

"Leave me alone!! P-Please!!"

"Shut up!" Sam shook her and then dragged her over to Dean. She pulled away from his grasp and fell to the floor beside the injured hunter. "Stay with him!"

He wasn't usually so rough with woman but he had no patience right now. He didn't want to leave his brother alone and she was the only one there that wasn't in the middle of a battle.

He felt sick as he exited the cage once more but the feeling was thrown aside at seeing the man he basically thought of as an uncle struggling on the ground, a raging vampire straddling him. It was a tug of war for the machete that Bobby wasn't willing to give up.

Sam rushed forward, hand forming into a fist against his side as his ribs moved. He gritted his teeth against the pain and swung his foot in a powerful kick at the vampires head.

The vampire was momentarily stunned, giving Sam time to land another kick, spinning the undead body off Bobby.

Bobby acted fast, belying his age and brought the machete down hard and fast. The head rolled away from the now very dead body, a look of horror still etched on his face.

Sam held his hand out for the older man to take and helped to pull Bobby to his feet. "You okay?"

"Don't worry about me, Sam. Just getcha self a weapon and lets get this done."

Sam nodded, looked around for anything that would be the least bit useful. His gaze came to rest on a large duffle bag against the opposite wall. Racing across, feeling the rain blow in to spray across his face, his arms, leaving goosebumps on his flesh, Sam skidded to a stop and knelt down. Pulling the bag open Sam was greeted with a mass of weapons he instinctively knew were his father's. The machete, gleaming in the moonlight that shone through the open barn called to him and he picked it up. Feeling the weight of it in his palm he wrapped his fingers around the black grip.

Running footsteps could be heard to his right once again as two more vampires were added to the fray. Sam stood, garnering the attention of the vampire closest to him. He wasted no time bringing up the machete, intent on slicing through the vampires throat more humanely than they had torn his brothers up.

His arm was blocked by a slender, yet toned arm, followed up by a kick to his ribs sending sparks of pain igniting there. His breath momentarily deserted him as he doubled over. He automatically allowed himself to fall into a roll missing her next attack and swiped his leg out catching her in the back of the calf. He felt her land on her back beside him as he pulled in ragged painful breaths. Her foot came swinging towards his head but this time he was ready and caught it with both hands, almost dropping the machete in the process. He twisted the limb cruelly and enjoyed her cry as the motion flipped her over onto her stomach.

A flash of something moving fast interrupted the battle and suddenly the leg he was struggling to hold no longer put up a fight. Sam looked up confused into the dark eyes of Lenore. The vampire had finished the job for him.

Her small but strong hand wrapped around his bicep and pulled him to his feet quickly causing him to hiss and hunch over in an effort to protect his broken ribs. The aching grinding pain was enough to take his breath away.

"Sam, where is she?"

"Who?"

Lenore rolled her eyes but shook his arm a little to keep his attention. "Kate!"

Sam once again surveyed the room. Lenore's gang were starting to get the advantage but as her question started to sink in he realised that he really wasn't sure where Kate was. Shit! How had he allowed her to get away?

"I don't know …" He began to look for Bobby. He needed to know that the other man was still okay. He found the hunter standing next to Eli, guarding the cage. Dean was safe.

"Dammit!" Lenore cursed softly, letting go of Sam's arm but not before giving it a slight comforting squeeze. "Go to your brother, Sam. We've got this."

"But …"

"Sam, your brother needs you more than we do … go!" She gave him a small shove in the direction of the cage and Sam found himself going without further argument.

He trusted Lenore despite the fact that he didn't really know her. She had proven she was trust worthy though and that was good enough for Sam. He wanted to be with Dean. He needed to get him help and he needed to get it yesterday so if Lenore said they had it covered then he could live with that and hopefully so could Dean.

Sam moved quickly, pain lancing up his side making him pant out harsh breaths through clenched teeth. He stumbled as he approached Bobby, the older man catching him before he could go head first into the mesh cage.

"Whoa, son …"

"I'm okay."

"The hell you are, Sam."

Sam stood up straighter and clenched his eyes tightly shut for a moment, letting himself ride it out. He needed to focus on Dean. "I will be. I need to check on Dean."

He was grateful when Bobby moved aside to grant him access. The older man probably assumed that he would be better off taking cover with Dean and he was probably right but Sam didn't really care as long as he got to his brothers side. He nodded to Eli in recognition and then stepped back into the cold, bare prison and found Dean exactly where he had left him, Tabitha too.

Tabitha shuffled back away from Dean as Sam approached. Dean was a pale bloody mess and it really was hard to tell if the older man was breathing. Sam's stomach flip flopped at the thought. Careful of his injured ribs, Sam lowered himself down to a kneeling position beside Dean's inert form. He bent over him, pressing his ear to Dean's mouth and was rewarded with the faint puff of air against his skin.

Sam's face broke out into a smile and he raised the hand he had placed on the ground to Dean's head and ran his fingers through his hair. "That's it, Dean."

"Has he woken up at all?" Sam asked Tabitha without turning to look at her.

"No."

Sam nodded absentmindedly as he continued to brush his fingers through Dean's hair as if trying to soothe him.

"Sam, how's he doing?" Bobby asked as he came to stand over both boys.

"He's still breathing." Sam remained watching Dean for a few more moments before looking up at the old hunter. "He's lost a lot of blood, Bobby. We need to get him out of here."

"There's a small emergency clinic in town." Eli appeared next to Bobby, looking down at Dean with concern and something else in his eyes.

Sam moved a little closer to his brother at the look he saw in the vampire's eyes, warning him with his body language to not even think about it.

"Don't worry, Sam." Eli told him gruffily. "You're brothers safe around me."

"I thought you don't drink human blood." Bobby shot the vampire a questioning look.

"Just because we don't drink it doesn't mean the urge still isn't there. We just control it," Eli explained, looking back out into the main area for a moment and then turning back. "It's harder when it's being practically advertised, kind of like a recovering alcoholic I guess." He shrugged. "Anyway, I think you are good to get out of here."

As soon as Eli had walked away, Sam brought his attention back to Dean on the ground as Bobby moved to his brother's other side.

"He looks terrible."

"Really?" Sam asked sarcastically

"I'm just saying." Bobby refrained from snapping back and instead reached into his back pocket and pulled out a bandana. "Lift him up a little, Sam."

Once Dean was raised, being held up in his little brothers arms, Bobby fashioned the bandana around his throat. Blood soaked into it but it was all they had for the moment. "Bobby, Dean and I … Hendrickson's really on our butts, man."

"You're starting to sound like your old man." Bobby griped. "Let's get him up, huh?"

Sam nodded and with Bobby's help gently eased Dean into a sitting position, both hunters paused when Dean groaned. Sam glanced across his brother to Bobby.

"I didn't say we shouldn't take him to the hospital, Bobby, I was just saying. If he catches us that's it, It's the end of the line and Dean rots in a cell until the hell hounds come for him."

"Sam … Sam! I've got it covered."

"What?"

"How…" Bobby grunted as the boy lifted Dean at the same time, helping to take his weight. "How about we worry about this later? Let's just get him out of here first."

Sam wrapped his brother's arm around his shoulder again, like he had when he had first gotten him loose from the chains. The wounds in Dean's arms where he had been cut were probably going to need stitches. Sam just hoped that travelling from here to the car wouldn't re-open the wounds. He really couldn't afford to lose any more blood.

"You're right, Bobby."

"I know I'm right, ya idjit."

Sam smiled and shook his head. He wasn't sure how they had survived without Bobby that first year back on the road after Stanford. He still wasn't sure why John and Bobby had the falling out. Neither Dean nor Bobby had elaborated and John … well their father hadn't lived long enough for him to ask him.

Bobby looked back at Tabitha, who was looking up at them with a mixture of fear and hope. "If you're comin' with us, sweetheart, you better come now."

Right now? Sam didn't really care what she did. All he cared about was getting Dean to some desperately needed help.

Carefully and slowly, Bobby and Sam helped Dean through the cage door and into the main area of the barn. Sam hadn't noticed it before but now as he looked outside the two big doors he could see that the rain had stopped. It was still windy as hell but the rain had stopped pelting.

"Sam."

Lenore approached the four humans with Eli at her side. Tabitha shrank behind the three men obviously not sure what to make of the new vampires.

"I don't know how to thank you."

Lenore closed her eyes and shook her head before opening them again. "There's no need, Sam. We owed you. Now go and get your brother some help."

Sam swallowed and nodded, a small grim smile on his lips.

"We'll do a clean up here and anything we find we'll keep for you whenever you're ready, including the mammoth truck out there."

"Thanks." He had questions, lots of them but they could wait until Dean had enough blood in his system to function properly. "Kate's still out there." He knew they needed to move but he was slightly unnerved that the vampire that had caused all this was able to escape.

Eli and Lenore shared a look. "We'll be keeping a look out." Lenore looked deadly serious and suddenly Sam didn't feel so worried. If she wasn't caught now then they would probably lose her but Sam had more important issues to worry about so knowing that Lenore and her family were going to try to find her made him feel a lot better.

Bobby nodded to the two vampires, saying thanks silently and then glanced at Sam. "Let's get this show on the damn long road."

TBC ...

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Thanks for reading! Really thank you!! I owe you all and I hope I dont disapoint.


	14. The Last Stand

**Authors Note:** Okay and because I have been sooooooo terrible in updating? Here is another chapter straight up! If you're still reading? Then thanks! You are all amazing!! Again Mistakes are all mine and i hope I didnt miss too many in my hast to get not one but two chapters posted hehe

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**Chapter 14. The Last Stand**

The trek back to the Impala was long, wet and tiring. The weather wasn't as harsh as it had been on his way in. The storm had seemed to calm a little to the point that there was only a slight drizzle. It was still cold as hell though – and wasn't that just a strange saying - and the wind made the conditions even colder. It was the type of cold that hurt when wind and rain were attacking together.

Sam was hurt as well and it wasn't hard to remember that, not with the wheezing and grunts of pain every so often. Bobby tried to ignore the stumbles and ignore both boys pain as they were jolted by it. All he could do was hold on tight and keep pushing them on because the sooner they got to the car the sooner they got help. And if Sam thought he was getting out of a hospital visit himself then he had another thing coming.

Dean was deadweight between them. Bobby knew that even if the kid had of been awake he would still have been useless. Bobby hadn't said it to Sam because he didn't want to scare the kid but he was worried. Dean wasn't doing so well and the fact that he was being carted around without even twitching unless in pain had Bobby on edge because it seemed unnatural for Dean to be that quiet, that still, that pale and still be breathing. Dean looked like death, felt like ice and if it wasn't for the raspy breaths near his ear and the occasional groan, Bobby might have even thought he _was_ dead.

The long wet grass that they'd had to wade through to get to the Impala hadn't made their task any easier. Tabitha had stayed behind them the whole way, not making a sound. Bobby wasn't sure what the deal was with the woman. She seemed to shrink back from Sam but at the same time seemed reluctant to leave his side. Sam hadn't said anything much about her either. Bobby's main concern was the boys and as long as she kept up then Bobby had no problem in her tagging along. She looked an emotional mess and he had seen enough victims in his life to know that she needed saving as well.

Bobby was brought out of his thoughts as Sam stumbled again, hissing between clenched teeth but straightening straight away at the sound the jostling pulled from his brother.

"You can make it, Sam. C'mon, kid." Bobby said, breathing heavy, pausing to let Sam get his bearings and adjusting Dean's weight against himself. Damn the boy was heavier than he looked. "The Impala's just up ahead." He could see it just barely and only because he was especially looking for it and she had never looked so good.

The knowledge that salvation was not that far away must have given Sam the strength he needed to pick up his pace because before he knew it the three of them were leaning against the trunk, heaving in gasps of air. Tabitha stood back, arms wrapped around herself in an effort to protect from the weather.

"Let go of your brother, Sam, and open the car."

Sam reluctantly did as he was told and Bobby let the Impala's trunk help hold her boy up. Sam didn't want to leave his brother and Bobby had to feel sorry for Dean once he got passed this because Sam was going to become his shadow again.

He couldn't blame the kid though. Ever since that damn demon deal, Bobby had been worried, going crazy trying to find a way out, exhausting his resources and always coming up with squat.

The thought of losing Dean was unbearable. He remembered exactly how he had felt when he had heard Dean's agonising scream of his brother's name only to come back and find Sam dead. Having one year to get used to the idea did nothing to dull the pain he would feel and the panic he felt leading up to it. He couldn't show it though. At the risk of sounding like John Winchester, he needed to stay strong for the boys.

Dean's brows came together as his face scrunched up in pain moaning again bringing Bobby out of his thoughts. Bobby reached up with his free hand and gripped Dean's chin with his calloused fingers. "Dean … son, you with us?"

Bobby felt the shiver run through Dean's body as Sam came back to stand beside them with a wide eyed look as he took in Dean's fluttering eyes and erratic breathing.

"Dean?"

"Sa…m?"

"It's me." Sam almost choked a relieved laugh. "You're gonna be okay, dude. We're getting you out of here. Right, Bobby?"

"You're damn right we are."

Dean rolled his head slowly to his right and stared at Bobby for a few moments, blinking as water collected in his eyes "Hey…" he slurred, closing his eyes and then shivered violently again. "Ugghh." He propelled himself forward, Bobby and Sam catching him. Dean hung there between the two hunters, the shaking increased.

"Dean! Dean … we got you, man." Sam was leaning in close to his brother trying to comfort him as best he could.

"Come on, Sam; let's just get him out of here." They needed to get him out of this weather and Bobby was more than ready to leave.

"Yeah." Sam nodded and tightened his hold on Dean, pulling him up a little despite his own injuries. "Right … easy, Dean."

Bobby stood straighter, ready to help get Dean to the Impala's back door. Once he was sure Sam had a decent hold of his brother, Bobby moved away from the trunk. He could see Tabitha still standing back, looking miserable and cold and wet and again wondered what her deal was. She seemed almost as wary of Sam as she had been of the vampires and Sam had hardly said two words for her.

"Okay, Dean, almost …" Bobby was cut off mid speech. A loud ringing in his ears bounced around in his head, followed by searing pain shooting sparks of bright light behind the eyelids he had closed in automatic reaction.

The older hunter didn't feel it when he hit the ground.

xXx

The gunshot was loud in the night and he hadn't been expecting it. Tabitha's screams were cut off by another shot coming out of nowhere and Sam didn't have time to register what that meant as he was suddenly lumped with the entirety of his brothers weight.

Sam's frantic eyes searched Bobby out. The sudden shift could only mean one thing because Bobby wouldn't just dump Dean without a damn good reason. The blood that was being washed away by the light sheen of rain was a reason that Sam didn't want to have to deal with right now. The sudden extra pressure sent Sam crashing to his knees bringing Dean down with him, landing in a heap over Bobby's sprawled legs.

Sam coughed and looked up as movement from the bushes had him jumping, struggling to his feet and reaching for the machete he had tied to the empty belt loops of his jeans, his father's machete.

Sam was waiting for the shot. His heart was beating so fast that he thought it might just beat out of his chest. Bobby had been shot. Oh God. What if he was dead? Another person dead because of Sam. He felt like screaming but instead wiped his arm across his eyes as he held the weapon out in front of him. It was going to do a fat lot of good against a gun but Sam wasn't just going to lay down and let them finish off both him and Dean.

"Hello Sam."

The voice made Sam seethe. The voice made Sam angrier than he had been in a long time because the two remaining people he cared about in this world were lying at his feet and it was all her fault, her and her stupid quest for revenge.

Sam growled, low in his throat, breathing heavy in and out of his nose as everything that had happened in the last couple of days came crashing back to him, the last few hours really hitting home.

He charged as a shape formed from the shadow exiting the tree line. Pain ricocheted through his ribs as he crashed into their attacker, sending both of them to the ground. The gun – the colt, Sam realised belatedly was thrown from the impact, a dull thud following as it hit the wet ground behind him.

Sam had eyes only for the figure underneath him. Her wet black hair was splayed out around her and her skin was pale, paler than it had been inside the barn, the moon light highlighting her pallor. Kate's eyes held a fury, a combined lust for revenge and anger at being taken down. She bared her second set of teeth with almost a hiss.

Sam cried out as his side erupted in stabbing pain, stealing his breath as he found himself rolling, Kate reversing their positions but only for a moment as Sam used the momentum to keep them rolling.

The base of a tree jolted them to a stop, Kate's back hitting hard. She lashed out, her right arm escaping from his grasp and smashing into his face. Sam felt the skin along his cheek bone break and his head snap back with the force of her strength.

Taking the advantage, Kate scrambled out from underneath him and gave him a few well aimed kicks to the mid-section until he was gasping, squeezing his eyes shut tight as he tried to stop his already screwed up world from spinning.

From his position he could see Bobby and Dean lying where he had left them and helplessness, fear and anger welled up inside him. He growled again as he attempted to get up, earning him a kick to chest hard enough to spin him around and back up against the tree.

He didn't have time to think. Kate's hand was wrapped around his throat and squeezing, lifting him up the tree trunk. He could feel the scrape of rough bark against his back through the thin material of his t-shirt. He couldn't breath and not just because there was an extremely powerful hand blocking his airway, although that was a big reason, but he felt his chest tighten as though his ribs were caving in on his lungs.

Kate leaned in, her breath cold like death on his already freezing face. Sam brought his hands up and gripped her wrist with both hands. She had taken him down too quickly, he was pathetic and Dean was going to die, Dean was going to go to hell because of him.

"Did you really think I was going to let you go, Sam?" Kate snarled, her nose almost touching his, rain water running down both their faces, obscuring Sam's vision.

Sam wanted to tell her to go to hell, to bite him, any of the number of insults he had burnt in his brain from growing up with Dean all these years but her hand, her one single hand felt like it was crushing his larynx. Short gasps that made his chest feel tighter and tighter was all he could manage. His eyes glared at her even as he struggled and she just smiled. He could feel her excitement. She was about to get what she wanted. She was going to kill them and she knew that there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm going to kill you." Kate told him, situating herself off to his side and pressed up against his body, Sam couldn't even kick her off him. His hands were clawing at her now. He needed air and he needed it now. "I am going to kill you and then I am going to go over there and finish drinking from your brother. I am going to make sure he feels it as every bit of strength and life is drained from his body until he is nothing but a dried up husk and there is nothing, nothing you can do about it and then I'm going to hunt down your father and kill him too."

Kate's voice was loud in his ear but it was starting to fade in and out as hate increased her pressure and lifted him higher. His heart was racing and struggling and he could feel his body weakening even as he screamed at it to stay awake, to fight.

"This is …" Kate gasped and her eyes widened, confusion marring her pale features.

It took a moment for Sam to realise that the muffled gunshot hadn't been in his mind. The rushing sound of blood in his ears prevented him from hearing much and his muddled oxygen deprived thoughts took him a moment to take note of the fact that the pressure on his throat was sliding away with Kate's hand as she jerked. Blue light sizzled around her as she fell to the ground with a sort spasm before lying deathly still, her eyes sightless.

Sam felt like he was on a child's jumping castle, arms and legs not working the way he knew they should, while Dean's loud music deafened his ears. The pressure was off his throat but it took a few more moments for the muscles in Sam's throat to relax, to open up and that first gasp for air was both painful and beautiful at the same time.

Opening his eyes – god, when had he closed his eyes? - Sam blinked a few hundred times. The rain had almost all but stopped but he was still soaked through … and confused as he continued to stare down at Kate's body in shock. The vampire was dead, for good … he didn't understand.

Sam continued to gasp, a hand coming up to touch gingerly at his abused throat, the other arm wrapped tightly around his middle. He finally drew his gaze away from Kate and swallowed painfully around the lump that had settled in his throat as he looked back towards where Bobby and Dean had dropped.

His heart missed a few beats. Dean had moved. Only a few feet but it was enough. God, please let him be alive, Sam prayed. He needed Dean to be alive. Kate was dead, the latest threat was gone and now Dean needed to live. Sam braced his hands on the tree behind him and tried pushing himself to his feet and almost landed right back on his rear. He felt like throwing up but his need to see his brother over threw that need.

Sam made it up only to fall to his hands and knees again. He shook his head to clear it and saw the black spots in front of his eyes come to take over him. He held still for a long moment, trying to regulate his breathing so that he could move and get over to his freaking brother. He needed to suck it up and help Dean, dammit.

Instead of trying to stand again, Sam raced, crawling to the fallen hunter's side just as he heard a groan. He approached, catching the still form of Tabitha out of the corner of his eye, blood coating the side of her head and he knew without further examination that the woman was dead.

Sam frowned, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth as he reached Dean's side. Dean was out cold, lying on his stomach and his arm was outstretched, his hand clasping the …the colt, Dean was holding the colt.

"De...a…n …" His voice was screwed, his throat abused more than his talking cords liked, reducing him to sounding like a wheezing old man.

Another groan. Sam waited for movement that usually accompanied Dean's moans of pain when he was sick or injured but nothing came. It wasn't Dean. For a heart sickening moment Sam thought it was Kate and looked up ready to defend his brother, die in the process if need be. But it wasn't Kate. Sam felt a relieved smile form on his shaky lips as the lump lying right next to the trunk of the Impala moved. Bobby had moved. God, Bobby was alive.

"B…obby!" Sam gasped.

He reached out and took the colt out of Dean's hand and tucked it into the back of his jeans, resting a hand on Dean's head. There was no movement and Sam's momentary high at finding Bobby alive and Dean with the colt was brought to a screeching halt. He placed his fingers to Dean's throat, checking for a pulse again.

"No …" Sam's denial hit his lips before he had even realised he had spoken. He couldn't be … not after all this. Dean wasn't allowed to die yet. "Nonononono."

"Sam?"

Bobby's voice sounded distant. It was almost like Sam's ears were filled with cotton balls and he couldn't take his eyes of Dean.

"Sam!"

Sam shook his head, wet hair whipping his forehead and stinging his eyes. "I c-can't find it, I can't …"

"Sam! Dammit."

Bobby's voice was louder now, fingers wrapping around his wrist and stilling his hand that he didn't even know was shaking. With help pressing his fingers to Dean's throat it only took a few moments to find what he had thought was gone. Dean had a pulse. It was thready, almost barely there but it _was_ there.

"Thank God!" Sam's relief washed through him and he slumped, feeling Bobby next to him helping to remain upright.

"Sam, we need to get out of here. Can you stand?"

"I'm okay," Sam responded numbly.

His hand was pulled away from Dean and then he was helped to his feet, almost going down again as Bobby stumbled against him. Dean was still with him and it allowed him to look at their old friend for the first time. Blood was flowing from a nasty graze just under where his cap sat. Kate hadn't hit her mark, not dead on like Sam had thought.

"Quit thinking, Sam, just get a move on. Your brother needs help and fast."

Sam nodded. Bobby was right. He needed to stop thinking and just move. Bobby let go of his arms and stood back, a little unsteadily, placing a hand to his head.

"You okay?"

"Nothing this hard head can't take … I'll get his shoulders, you take his legs. Think you can manage that?" Bobby asked already bending down and turning Dean onto his back.

"I got it," Sam assured and leant down, his ribs were screaming now and he would stop to listen to them once he knew that Dean was safe.

Sam lifted at the same time as Bobby and between the two of them Dean was laid out on the backseat of the Impala. Moving around to be near Dean's head, Sam knelt down, the mud soaking through his jeans and brushed a hand through his brother's wet hair. "You're going to be okay, man. I promise."

"Out the way."

Bobby's gruff order had Sam moving immediately. The older hunter placed a blanket over Dean and closed the door. A blanket wasn't going to do much, nothing was until they got to the hospital but it couldn't hurt either. Bobby was breathing heavy and his face was pinched.

Bobby was already moving again, opening the front driver side door and sitting down on the leather seat. "Move it, Sam."

Sam raced around to the other side of the car as fast as his body would allow, pausing at the back of the car as his vision came into contact with Tabitha, lying still, eyes open and unseeing. Sam had been annoyed with her but she hadn't deserved to die and he felt sorry at the same time that he felt glad that it hadn't been Dean or Bobby that Kate had killed.

Flopping down in the passenger seat, Sam clenched his teeth as he almost curled in on himself. He hurt … everywhere. "Bobby, what about Tabitha?" He asked, already turning around to check on Dean.

"She'll have to wait, son. You and your brother need help more at the moment."

"I'll be fine." Sam tried to convince the older man.

"Well you both have that damn Winchester stubbornness."

"Maybe that's a good thing. Its help pull Dad and Dean through some messed up shit."

Bobby snorted. "Aint that the truth."

Sam had his arm over the back of the seat, stretched awkwardly to reach his brother. He picked up Dean's wrist and checked for his pulse for what felt like the hundredth time.

Bobby blinked a few times, wiping blood and water out of his left eye as he turned the ignition key. Sam wanted to ask Bobby again if he was alright but he knew the answer he would get. It was better just to let the man drive. The Impala started like she knew that time was of the essence and that Dean was in trouble. Who the hell knew? Sam had always thought that Dean had been a little too attached to the damn thing. But if she got them where they needed to be right now then Sam would love her too. He already did.

"Are you okay to drive?" Sam asked when the car slipped a little on the wet road.

"I can drive a damn car, Sam."

"I'm not saying you can't but …"

"But what?" Bobby asked making quick glances between the road and the youngest Winchester.

"Bobby, I … I thought she'd killed you."

Bobby was quiet for a moment, seeming to be simply concentrating on the dark stretch of road ahead of them. Sam wondered whether he was going to answer him at all and just when he had been about to continue Bobby sighed, rubbing his beard with his left hand.

"I'm okay … just a bit of a headache, is all. Quit your worrying and concentrate on Dean." Bobby's eyes flickered up to the review mirror and then rested on Sam once more. There was a hint of something in the older mans eyes. "You did well out there."

Sam shook his head. "Dean's the one that finished her off." He hadn't done anything but waste time, get himself caught and injured and then almost killed. His brother who shouldn't have even been with it enough to hold a gun straight had saved his ass … yet again.

Bobby's eyes widened for a moment at the revelation, amused affection lingering in his gaze, the corner of his mouth lifting up into a lopsided grin. "You're kidding? Damn that boy doesn't give in."

"Not when he thinks it counts," Sam agreed. Dean didn't give in when it came to protecting innocents, his family and most importantly Sam. Sam just wished that Dean held the same regard for his own life.

Sam didn't think that Dean really understood just how scared he was sometimes that Dean was going to get himself killed. It was part of the reason why he had left for Stanford. He hadn't been able to stand his brother and father coming so close to death time and time again. His greatest fear had already started with John's death and in a few months would be completed with Dean's if they couldn't save him.

It didn't matter that they were in the impala, already on their way to help. It didn't matter that Kate was dead. Sam still couldn't keep his eyes from the back seat. It was like if he looked away then Dean would stop breathing, that his heart would stop beating. Right now, Sam was willing to believe that if he looked away for even a second that he would lose his brother.

The car swerved and then righted itself again a moment later, followed by a curse.

"Bobby?"

"Just concentrate on your brother."

"How far are we?"

"Sit tight, Sam. We'll be there in a few."

"Bobby …" Sam paused, cringing in pain as Bobby turned sharply onto the town's main road, knocking him into the door handle. "We're wanted…"

"None of that matters right now, son."

"I know, but …"

"No buts. Despite what John seemed to think not everything can be patched up in a motel room." Bobby snapped.

Sam knew that Bobby's frustration wasn't really directed at him or even John. Bobby was just as worried as he was and getting hurt always made the man cranky.

Pressing his free hand to try and stem the knifing sensation there, Sam finally pulled his eyes away from Dean to check on Bobby. Squinted eyes and his straight back posture told Sam that Bobby was struggling.

"You sure you're okay?"

"So help me, boy, if you ask me that one more time my boot is going right up your ass."

Sam shrugged, the grip he had on Dean's wrist allowed him to feel Dean's pulse. It helped confirm what simple visual lacked. Dean was still with them.

The small clinic they pulled into was a sight for sore eyes. Sam had stopped into the very same clinic earlier when he had been searching high and low for Dean.

Bobby pulled the car into one of the many empty spaces next to the small town's clinic. Sam was already on the move, reluctantly letting Dean's wrist drop from his grasp. He immediately missed the dangerously thready heartbeat.

Sam turned in his seat; a strangled cry sprang from his mouth, feeling bones scrape.

"Damn stubborn idjit!" Suddenly Bobby was in front of him. "Sit still. Stay with your brother."

And just like that Bobby was gone again and Sam found himself hunched over, feet resting on the pavement. He took slow breaths to breathe around the tightness his ribs had created and tried not to shiver as the cold air filled the car through his open door. His sneakers were still wet and muddy and his feet inside felt frozen.

He tried turning back around enough to see Dean. The older man hadn't moved, at all and now Sam was terrified. He wasn't ready for this, not by a long shot.

"Just hang in there, Dean. It's not over yet … okay?"

He received no answer but he hadn't expected one. He felt stupid just sitting there. He should be doing something, anything but instead he was sitting in the impala with his half dead brother while Bobby tried to find help. He wasn't sure what aggravated his ribs more, shivering from the cold or forcing himself to not shake.

"Sam!"

Bobby's shout had Sam jumping in surprise. Bobby was back and he had brought help. The two men who preceded Bobby out of the building were both dressed in casual wear but donned similar white coats. White coats equalled to doctor in Sam's mind. Finally, Dean was going to get some help.

One of the two men opened the back door just as Bobby was approaching and reached in, checking Dean over. Sam couldn't help but want to hover, even from his perch on the front seat. He wanted his brother to get help but the thought of relinquishing control over to someone he didn't know was always hard.

"Be careful with him," Sam warned as Dean was taken from the car, in the care of the two strangers.

"Don't worry, kid, we'll look after him."

Don't worry. Sam snorted. Sam would be able to stop worrying when hell froze over … and probably not even then. Sam's eyes followed the pair of white coats as they took Dean away from him. His body was already moving forward to follow before he even realised he was moving. It didn't seem to agree with his minds desire to keep Dean insight because his first attempt at standing was a complete failure that ended with the back of his head clipping the door frame and the car squeaking under the weight of his rear falling back to the leather seats. "Damn it."

xXx

"Come on, Sam, give me you're hand."

Bobby didn't wait for Sam to respond before taking Sam's hand in his own and pulling him up. Just like Dean, Sam wasn't exactly the lightest person in the world either but unlike with Dean, Sam was at least able to try and help.

Bobby's own head was pounding unmercifully and he was still reeling with the fact that he had almost ended up with a third eye. Hunting was dangerous. He expected that he would occasionally get hurt but the shot had come out of nowhere. He had let his guard down with his need to get Dean medical help as soon as possible.

It had been a bad mistake and he had almost paid for it with his life … a young girl had paid for it with her life and Bobby was achingly aware of that fact. He would go back as soon as the boys were looked after and deal with her, make sure the other vampires had things under control … and didn't that just sound all kinds of messed up.

Slinging Sam's arm over his shoulders and ignoring the kids protests for doing so, Bobby started towards the entrance of the small clinic, Sam quickening his stride until they were almost power walking and Bobby's head wasn't enjoying it one bit.

Dean was out of sight when they entered the building, bypassing the small waiting area where an elderly couple sat waiting, the old man holding his arm to his chest in obvious pain. Both looked on curiously like they had when Bobby had first rushed in, craving information on what the deal was with these new comers. Nosey biddy bodies. Gladys Kravitz from Bewitched came to mind and Bobby knew that he was mentally at the end of his rope.

"Where'd they take him?"

"I dunno, Sam just give me a minute, okay."

The girl at reception pointed down the long hall. "He's in with Doctor Bryant."

"Thanks."

It was awkward in the small hallway and Bobby let Sam go but kept a hand on his elbow. Whether it was to help Sam or for his own comfort Bobby wasn't sure. There was noise near the end of the hallway and Bobby picked up the pace when Sam did, coming to an open doorway. Dean was on an exam table in the centre of the room. A man, with greying dark hair, glasses perched on his rather large nose was hovering over Dean His expression was neutral as he took in the appearance of the young man.

Sam only hesitated for a moment before he was walking into the room, arm still wrapped protectively around his ribs. "Is he going to be okay?"

Bobby followed Sam in and took hold of his arm again only for Sam to attempt to shrug it off, the boys eyes fixed on the doctor. The doctor raised his eyes to meet theirs, looking from Sam to Bobby and then back to Sam.

"What happened to him?" The light blue, almost grey eyes of the doctors suddenly looked away, looking for someone. "Someone get this kid a chair before he falls down."

"Just … please just tell me if he's going to be alright." Sam demanded even as a stool was hurriedly placed behind him.

Bobby came to stand in front of the taller hunter and pushed him down onto the seat and then gave his attention back to the doctor. "Doc?"

"What happened to you lot?"

"The boys were … they were out hunting." Bobby started, glancing down at Sam, indicating with just a look to go along with him. "Sam called me, sounding a bit dazed. By the time I got there whatever had attacked them was long gone and I found both boys unconscious."

"Sam?"

"What?"

"Can you tell me what attacked you and your brother?"

Sam shook his head and closed his eyes, pressing his hand harder against his side and tensing. "I'm sorry … I'm not sure. It all happened so fast."

"Its okay, Sam," Doctor Bryant assured and then turned to the young female nurse beside him. "Mel, get the hospital in Rawlins on the phone and get them to send an ambulance." He took Dean's arm in hand and attempted to find a vein.

Bobby watched the struggle to find a vein and shifted his weight to the other foot as a one was finally found. An IV was inserted soon after.

"An ambulance?" Sam almost squeaked.

Doctor Bryant looked up briefly at Sam's question. "Your brother needs blood, Sam and he needs it now. We don't have the ability to do it here."

Bobby squeezed Sam's shoulder, knowing that Sam was seeing the worst case scenarios running through his head. He didn't blame him at all but if he were honest Bobby would feel a lot better if Dean were in a better equipped facility than what this small clinic offered.

"I'm going with him then."

Bryant looked apologetic at the pair. "I'm sorry, but the ambulances are small. There won't be enough room."

"No." Sam protested. "I need to be with him."

"Sam…" Bobby's assurance that they would be with Dean even if they had to drive to the hospital themselves was cut off as panic set in with Sam.

The younger man lurched to his feet, nearly doubling over face first onto the floor. "Sam … for Christ sake," Bobby grumbled in concern as he sat him back down, both his hands back on Sam's shoulders. He was just about to tell the doctor that Sam needed tending too as well when he felt the man's presence beside him, already kneeling next to Sam.

"Where does it hurt, Sam?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay …"

"No you're not, now listen to the damn doctor if you wanna be any good to your brother."

Bobby felt bad for making Sam flinch from his sharp tone but Sam could be damn impossible to move when he was in these moods. The kid had always had a mind of his own and when it was made up that was the end of it. It had made being around the Winchesters while they were growing up interesting to say the least, that is if you enjoyed arguing and bitching around the clock. Bobby didn't know how Dean had lived with them for so long without going stark raving mad. Dean always had been a resilient bastard.

Sam kept his mouth closed and Bobby couldn't tell whether he was dealing with the pain or being a petulant stubborn child in the face of barked out orders.

"Sam?" The doctor pressured, moving his hand to Sam's arm that seemed to be a permanent fixture against the kids mid section.

Sam shrank away from the touch, bumping into Bobby. "Ahh … my ribs, my … my head. I think my nose is broken," Sam finally supplied, lifting a hand up to gingerly touch the injured area of his face.

Bobby didn't know whether his story had been believed but he knew that Sam looked like he had been in a bar fight more than he'd been attacked by some wild animal. He had no doubt that if asked more questions that Sam would be able to sell it. The kid was a bit frazzled and hurting but he wasn't so far gone that he couldn't keep a straight story. Hopefully they would be allowed to leave when the ambulance came and drive to the hospital them-selves. It couldn't hurt to make the story more convincing while they were alone.

"Look, Sam, why don't you let me look you over? Patch you up a little and if I'm happy with things you and your …"

"Uncle," Bobby interjected easily.

"…your uncle can make the drive behind the ambulance."

After another moments hesitation Sam nodded, his gaze finding his brothers still form as if seeking his approval only to find that nothing had changed.

Doctor Bryant stood and wrapped his fingers around Sam's freezing arm. "Let's take this in the other room."

"Wait … no! I'm staying with Dean."

"Sam, I need you lying down and I promise we'll keep a very close eye on Dean."

"I'll stay with Dean, Sam. Go with the doctor."

"But …"

"What did I tell you before about the 'buts'?" Bobby asked sternly, his lips turning into an affectionate smile.

"You'll watch him?"

"You know I will, kid. He moves and you'll be the first to know."

Sam still looked unsure but Bobby knew he was winning. He knew these kids and knew all the signs. He was honoured to be one of the only few that were allowed to get that close.

Mel, the nurse, came back into the room, almost gliding across the floor. "The ambulance should be here in fifteen minutes, Doctor."

"Thanks, Mel. Could you keep your eye on Dean here, fix up his uncle's head wound, while I look after his brother?"

"Of course."

This time when Doctor Bryant pulled on Sam's arm, Sam pushed himself to his feet, holding back a groan in his clenched jaw. Sam pulled away from the doctor once he got his equilibrium back and allowed the man to show him the way.

Bobby listened to them leave, hearing a door open and then shut near by. He pulled the stool Sam had been using over to the side of the exam table where Dean laid. Bobby cursed Kate, cursed his stupid flight delays, his stupid rental car and then last but not least himself. He should have got there sooner somehow. He didn't know if he would have been able to stop what had happened but he sure as hell would have made it harder for Dean to disappear. He still didn't know the full story but it could wait until both boys were on the mend.

Bobby leant forward and rested his elbow on the side of the exam table next to Dean and then allowed his sore head to rest in the palm of his upturned hand. He scrubbed at his forehead tiredly and hissed in pain when he accidentally hit the bullet's graze. He rested his free hand on Dean's lax arm, wincing at the coldness seeping through his skin from Dean's. It wasn't a good sign at all.

"Sir?"

Bobby glanced up with squinted eyes at Mel who was standing there holding the things she would need to patch up is head.

"You want me to look at that head wound."

"It's really more of a scratch." Compared to the boys he had come off lightly.

"How about you let me be the judge of that?" Mel asked with a slight smile. "I'll be quick." She assured him.

"Okay," he smiled tiredly.

Bobby sat back and took his trucker cap off, grimacing at the stickiness. Holding the cap in his hand Bobby could now see the blood splattered across the side of it and what almost looking like a burn mark along the edge of it where the bullet had grazed past. He'd been lucky and now he just hoped that some of that luck could transfer back onto Dean because the boy needed it.

TBC ...

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Again thank you! I hope you have enjoyed this last two chapters! One more to go! Another reason I have been going nuts ... i've been sooooo close to finishing lol So look forward to the epilogue! It IS coming. I appreciate your support!!


	15. Epilogue

**Authors Notes: **Hey Guys! This is it! The final chapter! I want to thank each and every one of you that have stuck by this story through the whole 8 months its taken to write. Everyone who has reviewed and everyone who has simply been reading along silently! Thanks so much for your patience and support! Thanks to **Angelustatt** who made me feel a lot better about this final piece and to my Mum who helped me via phone last night to make corrections lol Any mistakes left over are my own ;)

As stated in my author's notes at the beginning of the story, this was written for my very good friend **Gaelicspirit**! So again this goes out to her! Gaelic, hope you have enjoyed this!

Now onto the story …

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**Chapter 15. Epilogue.**

"_Dean?"_

The voice sounded muffled, like his ears were stuffed with cotton wool but he instinctively recognised it as Sam's. It had been the first thing that had filtered in through the sweet oblivion he had been residing in. He was comfortable and warm and didn't exactly feel like leaving.

"_Dean, can you hear me?" _

As much as Dean wasn't enthused in joining the waking world he knew that he should. Sam was here; he could hear his voice … and feel his hand clutching onto his like someone would a life preserver. But he would feel better once he was able to see his brother.

The last thing he remembered was hearing a struggle and finding Sam fighting for air as Kate proceeded to crush his throat with a single hand. No matter how many times he saw his brother being strangled – and he saw it too damn much – it never got any easier and it never failed to set a protective fire in him. The sight had made him want to get up and rip her away from Sam, eliminate the threat. The scariest thing about the whole situation was his lack of mobility. He had barely had the strength to lift the colt.

The very last memory was the powerful feel of the gun going off in his hand and then darkness …just a big blank … until Sam's persistent voice in his ear almost begging him to wake up without actually saying the words.

Other sounds were starting to register now and Dean knew there was no hope of going back to the comforting abyss he had been floating in, even if he had wanted to.

A beeping noise off to his right told him where he was. A hospital. He mentally cursed himself for allowing things to get as bad as they did. The beat was steady, no longer having trouble, no longer leaving him with fear that it was going to stutter and die. His thoughts travelled to the IV's he could feel attached.

"Dean, are you awake?"

This time the voice was louder, more real and … very small. Sam was worried, almost sounded scared. It was times like this, when he could do nothing but hear his brother's voice, that he remembered that Sam had been worried about him as well. He hated making his brother worry or scared, or upset or any of the other possible scenarios. He was supposed to look out for the kid, not give him high blood pressure.

"Am … now," Dean croaked; his throat too dry and unused to sound even half decent.

Swallowing hard, Dean brought a clumsy hand up to his throat and felt the edge of bandages before a large hand pulled the appendage away, holding it a few seconds before laying it on the bed next to his body.

"Take it easy, man." Sam's voice was still soft. It was a tone that Dean remembered hearing whenever he was hurt or sick or Sam was simply worried about him. "Your throat got pretty messed up."

Dean nodded. Blinking, Dean managed to keep his eyes open on the second time and sort out his brother's face. He didn't have to search far. Sam was right there, close enough without actually being on the bed with him.

Dean shuddered as memories flashed through his minds eye. He would never forget the feeling of the teeth sinking through his skin and the feeling of his blood siphoning out of his veins. It had been different with Gordon. The dark hunter-turned vampire had hit him hard enough to see stars before he connected with the wall. He'd been out cold, missed Gordon turning him into a snack. This time around he had been awake both times and no-one had been there capable to stop it from happening like Sam had with Gordon.

"Hey … hey, you okay?" Sam asked, panic edging his voice.

"Yeah," Dean responded. "You?"

"I'm fine …"

Dean looked at Sam, taking in the white strip of tape over his nose, the bruising around his eye, the stiff way he was sitting. "… hell you are."

"Dean … hey, lay back, I'm fine." Sam's hand was on his chest now and he was standing, leaning over him.

Sam didn't need to hold him down. He wasn't going to move that fast again. His shoulder and arm felt like they were on fire, a dry stinging heat under the bandages there. He'd almost forgotten about the blistered shoulder. He'd been so cold out there that he hadn't really felt it anymore. Now he was warm, in fact maybe a little too warm and the bandages on his arm were irritating the burns. There were bandages on his other arm too where the vampires had bitten in. He felt like he had bandages everywhere.

"Hot …" he huffed out and then slapped at Sam's hand. "Get off me."

"The doctor said the burns on your arm got infected. The antibiotics they have you on should help to bring down your temperature."

"Rabies?" Dean raised a tired eyebrow as his brother sat back down carefully.

Sam shook his head sitting forward again, keeping his body straight, amused expression lighting the worry that had been marring his features. "Not from vampires, dude."

Dean shuddered again at the phantom feel of teeth at his throat, arms, body … every time he thought about it he could feel their teeth, the suction …

"Dean? I'm just going to get the doctor."

"No."

"But …"

"Soon … talk to me." He didn't want to be poked and prodded. Right now, all he wanted was to enjoy feeling warm instead of frozen, enjoy the fact that he could breathe fairly easy. He just wanted to listen to Sam's voice for a bit, even if his shoulder was begging for attention. It had survived captivity; it could wait a little longer.

"How are you feeling?"

Dean tried not to groan out loud, he really did. He should have known Sam would have headed in that direction first. He met his brother's gaze, his eyes fully open and focused on the blue green of his brothers. Sam wasn't going to accept a simply 'I'm fine'.

Dean sighed. "All things considered…I'm okay, dude. You and Bobby saved the day." Dean frowned, curiosity tinged with a little fear as he realised that something was missing. "Where's Bobby? He was here right?"

Sam patted the unmarred skin of his forearm. "Yeah, Bobby was here, came up with a better rescue plan than me too." Sam's hand felt cool on his overly warm skin.

"Yeah? Old mechanic beat the college boy, huh?"

"He had some help … Lenore and her gang."

"How?"

"I don't know. I haven't had the chance to talk to them and once Bobby was assured that we were fine he took off to tie up loose ends."

Dean licked his dry lips. "Everything's a real blur … I remember you." Dean met his brother's eyes, his expression serious. "Sam …"

"What?"

"Don't ever do that again," Dean told him quietly, trying not to aggravate his sore throat.

Sam gave a surprised laugh, pulled his head back a little. "What? Come after you?"

"Should have waited for Bobby."

"I didn't know how long Bobby was going to be and I knew who had you. Was I supposed to sit back and wait, do nothing?"

Dean wanted to say yes, he wanted to tell Sam that what he had done, going in alone, had been reckless, that if Lenore and her friends hadn't been around then Bobby would have had to rescue the both of them by himself. He wanted to tell him that as much as he was thankful that Sam had come for him, it was too damn risky. But Dean was tired and he knew that Sam would never accept Dean's side of the argument. He never had and even more so since he had made the deal with the crossroad demon.

Dean swallowed, wincing at the sensation that simple act now caused his throat. The bastards had been at it longer than what Gordon had, had caused more damage. "Just …" Dean cleared his throat, regretting it immediately. "I'm just glad we got out of there."

"Me too." Sam ducked his head.

There was silence between them for a moment and Dean almost found himself drifting back into a sleep that he wouldn't be so wary of waking up from. He was almost there, could feel the warm black tendrils trying to entice him back to the land of oblivion when a thought struck him and he opened his eyes again.

"What happened to that girl? The black chick?"

Sam raised his head and looked at his brother with sad eyes and Dean knew the answer before it was spoken.

"She didn't make it," Sam explained anyway, after a slight hesitation. "Kate shot her with the colt."

"Oh …" Dean pressed his lips in a thin line.

"Bobby said he'd handle it. I wanted to go out there but …"

Sam didn't need to finish that sentence. Sam hadn't left the hospital because of Dean. Dean wouldn't have left either, had the situations been reversed and he was glad that Sam hadn't. The kid was in no position to be doing a clean up.

But there was something else lingering in Sam's eyes, something that Dean saw there way too often. Sam felt guilt.

"Sam, you couldn't have done anything."

"I know." Sam sighed, looking at his hands, pursing his lips before standing up slowly, still favouring his ribs. "I'm going to go and get the doctor."

Dean wanted to protest. He didn't want to deal with the doctor; he wanted to keep talking to Sam. But he could feel himself tiring and his arm and shoulder really could use some relief.

Sam turned just as he opened the door and looked back at Dean with a small smile on his face. "I'm just really glad you're going to be okay, man."

"Me too."

xXx

Taking the bodies back to the barn, back to the scene of the crime was not something that Bobby enjoyed doing. It felt wrong to just leave the young girl there after all she had been through. But it was the most logical course of action, especially if they wanted to avoid the police, which of course they did.

Bobby rubbed at his sore head, careful to avoid the gash along his receding hairline where the bullet had grazed past. He was finding it uncomfortable wearing his cap but he continued to wear it because he knew he would feel damn well naked if he wasn't wearing it.

He tossed the duffle of John's weapons into the truck bed and covered it up. He had done a search of the house, the barn and the land looking for anything that belonged to the Winchesters and anything that looked like it _could_ belong to them. He wasn't taking the chance of leaving anything behind.

Hearing the crunching of gravel, Bobby raised his head, his body on alert. Lenore, Eli and the others had done all they could and left before sunrise. Sunlight might not kill them like in fiction but it didn't mean they liked to be out in it either.

A silver Ford LTD pulled up behind John's truck, the tinted windows making it hard for Bobby to see who was inside.

The passenger door opened and a woman with longish blonde hair, tied back in a loose pony tail stepped out, leaning her arms on the frame of the open door.

"You Bobby Singer?"

"Depends on who's asking," Bobby answered carefully, eyeing the woman to see if he could sense any kind of a threat.

The woman smiled knowingly and then took a couple of steps away from the car, dipping down to indicate to the driver to wait before closing the door and walking towards Bobby.

"Name's Reaghan." She held her hand out and shook Bobby's hand. "Lenore said you could probably use some help."

Bobby's eyes widened, the familiar name making him a little more at ease. "You know Lenore?"

Reaghan sighed and placed her hands on her hips, a friendly smile still on her face, nodding slowly. "I do and I know enough about certain stuff to call her for help when that poor kid – Sam was it? – was looking for his brother?"

"That was you?" Bobby asked, relaxing further but never completely.

"It's a long story but we kind of help each other out and she said you could use some help."

Bobby looked from Reaghan to the truck and then back to Reaghan, unsure what to do. The woman had perfect timing. He had just come to the point of wondering how he was going to get both the Impala and the truck out of here. Short of a hell of a lot of walking or calling Sam and separating him from his recovering brother, Bobby knew the vehicles weren't going anywhere because he couldn't drive both at the same time and he was sure Dean would get out of bed to kick his ass should he decide to tow the Impala behind the truck. Bobby wasn't scared of Dean but when it came to Sam or that damn car? The boy could get pretty hostile.

For Dean's sake he decided to take Reaghan's offer.

"So … you need help there or what?"

Bobby nodded. "It seems like I owe you again." Bobby knew without a doubt that without the other vampires help things could have gone a whole other way. He never thought he would be thankful for vampires but Sam was right about this group. "Thanks. I could use another driver."

"Great. Hold up one sec." Reaghan jogged back to the car and opened the door, speaking quickly to the driver before standing back and closing the door once more.

A few moments later the silver LTD was turned around and driving back the way it had come, leaving Bobby alone with the blonde.

"So how do you wanna do this?"

"Think you can handle the truck?" Bobby asked, generally wondering. He didn't think it would be wise to hand over the keys to the Impala to a stranger but John's truck wasn't exactly a light vehicle.

Reaghan raised an eyebrow, looking half insulted, half challenged. "What? Because I'm a woman you think I can't?"

"Now don't go putting words in my mouth …women," he muttered under his breath, chuckling with a shake to his head.

"You know I _was_ going to offer you a beer …"

Holding his hands up in surrender, Bobby tossed Reaghan the keys to John's mammoth of a truck. "Sorry I doubted you, ma'am."

Reaghan smirked, twirling the keys around her finger. "It's Reaghan … and you may just get that beer yet." She walked past Bobby and patted him on the shoulder on her way to the driver's side of the truck. "Follow behind me. You can store your things at my bar if you want, out the back."

"Thanks. I'll add it to the things I already owe you."

Reaghan laughed and Bobby smiled for what felt like the first time in days. Reaghan struck him as an honest person. There was something about her that he liked. It made him feel a little bit better about relinquishing even a little bit of control.

"You'll have to start a tab soon." Reaghan climbed into the truck and closed the door, winding down the window.

Bobby sat behind the steering wheel of the Impala and started her up. He waited until Reaghan pulled out first, starting down the long drive before setting the Impala in the same direction.

It was a short trip. Now that he didn't have Dean's life hanging in the balance and he could see straight, time no longer seemed to slow down. The truck was parked safely in the fenced off back area behind Reaghan's bar and Bobby had a beer in hand.

Reaghan came out from the back with a plate and sat it in front of Bobby on the bar. "Steak sandwich … on the house."

Bobby looked down, surprised. He looked up, lifting his cap a little to ease the irritation it caused his head wound. "You sure do know a way to a man's heart."

"I've had lots of practice," Reaghan replied wryly.

"Can I ask one more favour? Then I'll get out of your hair."

"Sure."

"You got a phone I could use?"

Bobby hadn't realised how much he relied on his phone until he no longer had it. His was currently lying on the side of the road somewhere, next to a dinted Taurus – if it hadn't been towed away yet. He kept on going to reach for his phone to call the boys and then remembered that he no longer had one. Getting a new phone was a priority on his list of things to do when he got back.

"Of course, hun."

Bobby took the offered phone and then pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. He punched in the hospital room phone number from the paper and then waited for Sam to pick up. He wasn't disappointed when after only a few rings the youngest Winchester's voice came through the other end.

"Hows things over there, kid?"

"_Quiet. Dean woke up earlier."_

Bobby smiled even bigger than before. That was probably the best news he could receive right now, aside from someone dropping the solution to Dean's dumb ass deal in his lap.

"That's great, Sam. How's he doing?"

"_You know Dean."_

"Yeah." Bobby snorted. "I'm afraid I do."

"_He's already asked the doctor when he's able to leave but I don't think he sounded very convincing."_

"Why's that?"

"_He fell asleep before the doc could give him an answer."_

Bobby chuckled. "Lucky for you and the doctor."

Bobby couldn't help but enjoy this. He could almost forget that Dean had nearly died, again. The knowledge that Dean had woken and was going to be okay kept dancing around his head making him feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

"_Yeah I suppose."_

And there it was. The worry was back by just a certain inflection in Sam's tone. "What is it, Sam?"

"_Nothin', just tired I guess."_

"Have you gotten any rest yourself? You're not exactly the poster boy for healthy right now y'self, son."

"_I've been resting."_

"In a bed?"

There was a pause and then Sam spoke. _"So did you have any trouble?"_

Bobby sighed. Sam was just as bad as his damn brother and father in the stubbornness department. It was bound to drive him straight into a Looney bin one day.

"The place is clean of all yours and your Daddy's things. I'll put a call into the cops when we're out of here. I don't want to chance anything."

"_Good … me either."_

"Your friendly bar owner friend has graciously offered to hold your things for you."

"_Huh? Oh wait, you mean …"_

"Reaghan … from the bar your brother went missing."

"_How …"_

"I'll explain when I get back there."

"_Okay."_ Sam's voice drawled, his mind clearly ticking, already wondering how all of this fit into the next part of the saga. _"When will you be back?"_

"I'll be back before evening."

"_Okay. Thanks, Bobby." _

"Think nothin' of it, kid, just get some rest … and I mean real rest and we'll call it even."

Bobby smiled when he heard Sam laugh, even if it was only a small one. "Take it easy, Sam."

Hanging up, Bobby put the phone down on the bar and took a long drink from his beer. He couldn't feel completely better until he had both boys squared away back at the junk yard but it was a good start.

"Things are good?" Reaghan asked, returning from wherever she'd gone and claiming her phone back.

"Getting there," Bobby replied, picking up the steak sandwich, hearing his stomach moan in delight of what was to come. He hadn't even realised he was hungry until that moment. "So … how about we have that talk?"

xXx

"I still wish you would heed my warning."

Dean rolled his eyes, gingerly pulling the shirt over his shoulder, mindful of the bite marks that were still tender. "No offence, Doc, but I'm more than ready to get out of here."

"You were barely breathing when you were brought in. I'd feel a lot better if you stayed at least til the end of the week."

Sam glanced at the rather young doctor who was currently trying to talk his brother into a longer hospital stay. Sam had tried to tell the man when Dean had sent him to get the AMA papers that it was useless to try and convince Dean to change his mind. Recovering from major blood loss and infected burns be damned. If Dean had made up his mind and wanted out, nothing would stop him.

"I can heal just as well at home as I can here," Dean argued back, finally after a little fight with the shirt, Dean eased his burnt arm in and sat there looking at the doctor.

The doctor rubbed at his chin before crossing his arms over his chest and turned to Sam. "Any chance you can talk some sense into your brother?"

Sam chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, although we're probably saving you a headache. He's a terrible patient."

Dean scowled at his brother and Sam almost expected him to poke out his tongue.

"Okay." The doctor sighed and unfolded his arms, pulling a few pieces of paper out of his coat and thrusting them at Sam. "If he's determined to leave at least make sure he fills those prescriptions. There's a painkiller and burn ointment there, also some antibiotics that I want him to continue to take for another week at least."

"Thanks. I'll get this filled before we leave."

"Good. An orderly will be by with a wheel chair in a few moments."

"You really don't need to do that."

The doctor paused and looked at Dean with his head cocked to the side. "Excuse me?"

"The wheel chair," Dean replied by way of explanation, slipping forward on the bed to stand on his feet. "I can walk."

"Policy."

"Seriously?"

The doctor nodded. "Seriously."

"Why is that?" Dean asked as if he had always wondered.

"Let's just say its all part of the service."

"But if I've signed the AMA shouldn't I be excluded from the '_services_'?"

"Dean!" Sam huffed. "Give it up, dude … seriously."

"Seriously?"

"Ser…yes!" Sam caught himself before he fell into the trap. If he heard the word 'seriously' one more time he thought he might throttle his brother and that would do nothing for the man's still healing throat.

"Why do you always side against me?" Dean asked petulantly.

The doctor held up his hands to stop the bickering. "Guys."

Sam and Dean both looked at the doctor with expectant looks on their faces. "You sure there's no way I can convince you to give it another few days?"

"No," they answered simultaneously.

If given the option, Sam would have loved the idea of Dean staying on longer, despite his protests but it was dangerous being admitted to a hospital let alone staying in one longer than absolutely necessary. The last thing they needed was to get caught out.

"Thanks for your help, Doctor Evans." Sam stepped forward and shook the man's hand, Dean following suit, standing a little wobbly contradicting his earlier argument over his ability to walk out of there.

Sam had no doubt that if Dean really wanted or needed to he could but it wasn't happening and Sam was glad because the less Dean did the better.

Dean endured the 'oh so horrible' wheelchair ride without much complaint and before they knew it Sam was filling out his brothers prescription while the orderly took Dean out to where Bobby was waiting with the Impala.

By the time he got outside and to the car, the evening was really kicking in and Dean was already in the front passenger side, Bobby in the driver's seat which left no other option but to travel in the back.

"Sam, how long does it take to get a few drugs?" Dean grouched as he slid in behind them.

Sam ignored him and spoke to Bobby. "I see his impatience hasn't dimmed."

"Did you really expect it to?" Bobby counted. "This is your brother we're talking about."

"Very true."

"Hey! Since when did it become gang up on Dean Day?" Dean eyed them suspiciously sitting awkwardly in his seat so that he was able to see them both.

Sam shrugged. "It pretty much comes after 'Dean's an annoying ass' day. I thought you would have gotten with the program by now."

Dean glared before speaking. "Oh, you're so funny." The voice was mocking but it wasn't much in the way of comebacks and he thought Dean must really still be tired.

"I thought so. How long until we get to Encampment, Bobby?"

"'bout an hour, give or take, so how about you two quit bitching at each other and we get this show on the road?"

"Sounds like a great idea."

Dean leaned forward to start fiddling with the radio when Bobby started the engine. The older man looked at him, eyebrow raised in question.

"What?" Dean's hand paused, held still on a dial.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Putting on some music, what does it look like?"

"I seem to remember a rule in this car …"

"Oh you've got to be kidding me, man, it's my car."

Bobby smiled, turning to wink at Sam. "And I'm driving her."

Sam laughed, shook his head as he relaxed back against the seat. He watched out the window as Bobby drove them back towards the town that had been a last stop on Kate's clues. It was comforting sitting there, able to relax, hearing his brother try to exert authority over his music playing privileges in his own car. He closed his eyes and allowed his body to sink into the leather seats.

He had rested in the hospital, eventually, but here in the Impala was the first time he found he was _really_ able to. It had a sense of home and safety, even more so with Bobby and Dean bickering in the front seat. It reminded him of the days when he had been a little kid and having Dean and Dad up front had made him feel like the safest kid in the world. Some of the people might have changed but they were no less important than the other.

"Sam."

Sam jolted up, eyes that he hadn't even realised he'd closed snapped open. They had stopped moving.

"You awake, sleeping beauty?"

Dean's voice woke him up a little more. He rubbed at his face a few times before looking out of the window. The sky was starting to be shadowed in darkness and they were sitting outside Reaghan's bar.

"We're here?"

"Yep, you must have been tired, dude. You okay?"

Sam nodded, the concern in his brothers voice not annoying him this time. "Yeah actually." It was the best sleep he'd had in a while.

Bobby opened the driver's door again and looked inside. "You girls getting out anytime soon?"

"Thinkin' about it." Dean smirked and then reached for the door handle.

Sam was out in a flash, opening Dean's door and hovering, waiting to help. He took a step back at the foul look he received for his efforts.

"You ...?"

"I got it." Dean declined. "Move out the way, Sam."

Sam stood back with Bobby, waiting for Dean to get out of the car. He wasn't having as much trouble as Sam had expected but he was still moving like an old man. It was the burn on his arm and shoulder that were causing the most discomfort. His stay with Kate and her friends hadn't helped and it had gotten infected. It wasn't pretty but as long as Dean followed doctor's orders he would be okay. The nasty vampire bites would clear up too. Dean was going to be alright but Sam would never forget how close it had been. It was a very big reminder that if they didn't find something soon then Dean would be gone forever.

xXx

Reaghan welcomed them into the bar and gestured for them to follow her through the door that would take them to the bathrooms. Since Dean didn't think the woman was taking them all for a tour of the bathrooms he assumed the door also lead somewhere else.

"Lenore's waiting out back for you."

"So what's your deal with them again?" Dean asked as he waited for Bobby and Sam to walk through the door ahead of him.

"Eli saved me once." Reaghan began to explain as she held the door open. "I was cleaning up for the night, took the trash out and this guy caught me from behind, actually got a good bite in too." She reached up and felt her neck.

There was no scar but Dean thought that she probably felt the phantom ache of teeth sinking in. He knew the feeling. He still shuddered, thinking of Gordon sometimes, let alone the multiple times he had for reference now thanks to Kate and her minions.

"It's kinda hard to remember all the details but I remember one minute this guy is havin' a good ol' feast and then suddenly he's gone and Eli's standing there, teeth bared. I shit myself." Tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, Reaghan laughed.

"Yeah, Eli's charming," Sam commented, standing still in the hallway, hands shoved in his pockets, waiting for Reaghan to lead the way.

"He is actually. He doesn't trust easily but he's loyal as hell once he does."

Bobby broke in. "You said you help them out."

"Sure do." Reaghan nodded, leading them past the bathrooms to the back door. "They told me what they were and how they handled it. They told me about hunters … even told me about you guys, I just didn't realise soon enough …"

Reaghan stopped and gave Sam an apologetic look and then continued. "Anyways, I supply them with the occasional cattle here and there to keep them off the radar from the likes of the authorities and hunters and whenever I need a hand they return the favour. They might be vampires but they are still good people."

"You don't have to convince us."

"Bobby's right. They've more than proved that," Sam said, placing a hand on her arm. "And I can't thank you enough for what you did."

Dean watched the exchange, already getting tired standing there in the small cramped hallway. When Reaghan looked his way, Dean's lips lifted in a smile and he nodded. "Thanks."

"Think nothin' of it, boys. With those other vampires gone the town is safer. It was a win for all of us." Reaghan stepped aside as Sam reached for the door and walked outside, holding it open for the others.

Out in a small courtyard Lenore, Eli and a few others sat around a table, quietly talking amongst themselves, beer bottles scattered on the table. Heads turned at the sound of the door opening.

Dean had never actually spoken to Lenore or her friends. Sam had been the one to deal with them the last time they had met. Sometimes he still found it hard to believe that there was such a thing as a good vampire. He'd been brought up to believe otherwise. He sometimes wondered what their Dad would have done had he been in their situation. Would he have believed they were good or would he have hunted them like Dean had originally wanted to? But regardless of what he had believed in the past? Sam and Bobby were right; they had more than proved themselves.

"Sam." Lenore stood and approached the hunter, bottle hanging in a light handed grip. "It's good to see you. You look ... better."

Sam smiled and nodded in understanding. "I don't know how to thank you."

"We owed you, Sam … both of you."

"Still," Dean pressed, coming to gingerly stand next to his brother. "We appreciate it."

"You guys up for a drink?" Eli offered from his spot at the table, taking a swig from the bottle in his hand.

"As long as its beer we're drinking," Dean answered after a moment's hesitation. The joke was probably poor taste but it was the kind of humour that he had always appreciated.

Eli shrugged and pulled a six pack from the icebox at his feet. "Hunter tastes like crap anyway."

"I'll ignore the insult and take that beer." Dean accepted the offered drink.

xXx

Sam jolted awake. Something was wrong.

He looked to the other bed in the room and immediately knew what had bothered his restless sleep. He was met with a vacant bed with rumpled sheets.

Sam rubbed at his eyes and blinked, sitting up properly in his own bed and looked to the single window in the room that they always shared when staying at Bobby's. There was a dim light filtering through the window, telling him that daylight was upon them.

Sam flopped down on the bed with a groan, closing his eyes before he reached the nightstand and picked up his watch. 5 am. Damn, that was early for even him now days.

Sam yawned, stretching his stiff muscles, despite the tight pull it had on his sensitive ribs. His injuries were fading as the days carried on but that didn't mean that they weren't still tender at times.

The drive from Encampment to Bobby's had been long and a weight had settled over the brothers. It had been settled before leaving the hospital that Bobby would drive the Impala while he and Dean drove the truck on its last Winchester journey.

After stopping Dean at one beer, the hunters had retired to the room Reaghan had set up for them above the bar. Sam had been glad to have somewhere to stay before heading on the long drive home but he hadn't been able to sleep more than a few hours and he didn't think that Dean had faired that well either.

Sam had too much on his mind to sleep. His brain wouldn't shut down no matter how much he knew he needed to. So much had happened bringing things to the forefront of his mind that he had pushed back because it was too hard to think about.

The trip back had been quiet for the most part, a long, painfully loud silence, both brothers caught up in their own thoughts. Bobby's place brought about relief in his tired mind and body but also a state of numbness. This was it, they were home – the only thing that resembled home for Sam now. It was all over and the weight of what was ahead of them seemed to grow.

Dean had parked the truck, being the one to drive the final leg of their journey and had sat there, his hands still on the steering wheel for what seemed like forever. Sam had been just about to say something when Dean sighed and looked at him. Sam had seen the uncertainty mirrored in Dean's eyes. But as quickly as it was shared between them it was shielded and Dean was getting out and heading up to the house.

The truck had been sitting there out the front of Bobby's next to the Impala for the last three days, untouched. Sam had approached the subject a couple of times but had been met with stubborn resistance.

Cool air hit as soon as he exited the house. It blew through the thin t-shirt Sam was wearing but for some reason the biting cold wasn't as bad as it had been at that farm. Maybe it was because he knew his brother wasn't playing the part of the feast in a vampire banquette.

Dean was seated on some old crates not far from the truck, their father's belongings; everything they had collected in Kate's sick twisted game was before him as he sat there dressed a little more adequately for the weather than what Sam was. Jean's, his thick long sleeved grey top and his black jacket over that. Sam hadn't been blind to the fact that lately his brother had been rugging up, hating to be cold. It was a battle with his burnt shoulder disagreeing with Dean's desire to be warm.

"Hey, man," Sam greeted as he descended the front steps. He knew Dean had heard him come out so there was no need to hide his presence.

"Hey." Dean looked up and Sam was glad to see colour rather than the deathly pale pallor he'd had during his captivity. It still haunted his dreams a little but they always ended the same and they were so far from cold it wasn't even funny. His dreams always ended in hellfire, or what his mind perceived hellfire would be like. Sam thought that maybe the scarier concept was that no-one really knew what Dean would be facing if they couldn't stop his deal coming due other than an eternity of torture.

"Bobby up yet?" Dean asked as Sam sat down on a stack of tyres which thankfully did not sink or fall landing him on his ass.

"He's still snoring."

"Like a fog horn?"

"Yep."

Dean snorted. "Something's never change."

Sam smiled, his mind conjuring nights when their Dad had them stay at Bobby's and the older hunters snores filled the entire house.

Bending down, Sam reached into the open duffle and pulled out a twelve gauge pump action shot gun. It looked newer than some of his fathers weapons, obviously some of the new stock the man had armed himself with.

He spoke, dragging his gaze away from the shotgun. He hadn't come outside to inspect Dad's weapons. "So ... what brings you out here now? You're not exactly a morning person."

"Not everyone can be as happy as you in the morning, Dude. I told you already that it aint normal."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Seriously, man, you okay?"

"Yeah," Dean replied, his green eyes sort out the truck parked a few feet from them.

Sam followed his line of sight. Now that they were safe, in the calm of Bobby's junkyard, Sam could again fully appreciate how surreal it was to have the vehicle back.

"Its weird having it here," Dean commented and Sam couldn't have agreed more. "It's almost like I expect to hear his voice, or see him walk through the freaking door."

Dean stood up and walked over to the truck, turned and leant his back against the side of it. Their positions not unlike the conversation they'd had after Sam had gotten Dean back from the Djinn, the mood just as sombre.

"I know what you mean."

"How you feeling anyway?" Dean asked, suddenly directing the conversation away from him. Sam should have seen it coming.

"I'm okay. The rest has helped."

It had helped with the injuries but hadn't been so kind to his mind. He was thankful they were staying at Bobby's. He at least had all the books littered around the house to try and keep his attention off what was really bothering him. If anything this hunt had proved to Sam it was that no matter how much Dean tried to prepare him for life without him, Sam would never be able to just accept it. It physically hurt to think of losing his brother.

"Good."

They were silent for a moment more. Brutus, Bobby's new dog, still more puppy than anything else despite his size, came around the corner of the house and headed straight for Sam. He was well acquainted with the Winchesters and Bobby was forever complaining that the dog turned into a big sook whenever the boys stopped by. As far as the older hunter was concerned the boys were ruining his guard dog's image.

Sam's hands automatically rubbed Brutus's head while looking up at his brother when he heard a small laugh. "What?"

"Bobby's gonna kill you for spoiling that mutt."

"He's not a mutt. And besides, Bobby's not much better when he doesn't think anyone's watching."

"True … Sam?"

Sam didn't even need to know what Dean was thinking to know that the conversation was just about to become serious again. He could always tell by the tone in his brother's voice.

"Yeah?"

"I was serious before."

"Before when?"

"In the hospital. I don't want you doing something stupid. I … you shouldn't have come in after me."

Sam shook his head and gave Brutus one more pat on the head before he stood up, annoyance instantly threading through his system. He was sick of this self sacrificing, don't risk your self for me speech. "Dean, don't start that crap again."

"Crap?" Dean raised an eyebrow. "So now me watching out for you is crap?"

"You think watching you get hurt over and over again for me is a walk in the park?"

"I never said it was," Dean replied too calmly for Sam's liking

"But you keep doing it. It's not enough that you've gotten yourself a ticket downstairs but I'm supposed to keep watching you risk yourself. It doesn't work that way," Sam argued back, a little surprised at how quick his own mood had gone from concerned to angry. He really needed a good night's sleep and a week without life threatening disaster.

"I can't just stop doing what I've been trained to do all my life, Sam. You can't just cut those instincts off and if it keeps you safe? Then I don't want to."

Dean's voice was rising now too as he stood straight, moving away from the truck, his eyes locked hard on Sam's. Brutus whined in between them like he was wondering what the hell had just happened. Sam was wondering the same thing.

"Look, Sammy …" Dean started, green eyes blazing into Sam's. "This isn't even what this is about."

"Then what the hell is this about, Dean?"

Dean reached up with his good arm, his hand gripping the back of his neck as he tried to get across what he was trying to say. "Sam, you being there for me is not the problem. There's no-one I trust more to not give up on me, Dude."

Dean's hand reached out and gripped his arm. Sam could feel the strength in the grip but kept his eyes on Dean's face. "What scares the crap out of me is your wanting to save me clouding your judgement. You should have waited for Bobby back there and I just …"

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat at Dean's admission, his voice stronger now than when he had briefly brought the topic up in the hospital. "Just what?"

He knew Dean was right. He had acted impulsively and gotten himself caught and had been no help what so ever. But he couldn't honestly tell himself that if he had been put in the same position again that he would be able to stop himself from doing the same thing. He'd been so afraid that Bobby wouldn't make it in time.

Dean pulled his hand away from Sam and took a couple of steps away from him, running his hand through his short hair. "It scares me sometimes, Sam. With my deal coming due … I'm scared of what's waiting for me." He blew out a breath, admitting these things had never come easy to the older boy. "But I'm scared of what you will do when I'm gone. Sam, you gotta promise me, man …"

"Don't."

Dean ignored him and continued. "I know you still think you can save me and … and dude I love you for that but if I do go? If I don't get out of this? Just please…" Dean licked his lips. "Please just don't do anything stupid."

Sam was quiet, not able to speak, his lips thinned, trying to keep it together. Just the very thought of losing his brother to hell was more real and intense and left him breathless. When he thought he was able to speak in a steady voice, Sam spoke in a quiet, yet sure voice.

"I won't let them keep you."

"Sam." Dean growled in frustration.

"Dad got out, Dean. We know it's possible. I _am _going to save you but on the chance that I can't … I still won't leave you down there. You want me to have a good, normal life? It won't happen any moment that I know you are down there suffering for me."

Sam held up his hand before Dean started on him again. "I promise."

"What?" Dean asked stunned at the sudden change in Sam's position.

"I can't promise you that I will stop trying to save you but I promise I won't be reckless, I won't do something stupid. That's the best I can offer you."

"You're bargaining with me?" Dean asked incredulously.

"I can't just stop, Dean" Sam replied, throwing Dean's earlier words back in his face.

Dean lowered his head, looked down. Sam watched him. It always threw Sam to see his big brother scared. All through his life Dean had been immovable, a hero, so when he was scared, Sam knew to be scared. Sam raised his hand, was surprised to see it was shaking a little, obviously because of the weather … not because of the emotions running through him.

Placing it on Dean's shoulder, Sam gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's going to be okay, man. We're going to find a way to save you." He said it with conviction even though half the time he was scared out of his wits that he wouldn't find a way to do as he promised in time.

Dean raised his head; a forced smile on his lips that Sam knew was for his benefit. "Thanks, Sam, for not giving up."

Sam cocked his head to the side, again not sure whether Dean was talking about recent events or the bigger picture. Did it matter? Sam squeezed Dean's shoulder once more before feeling the other man pull away.

"Arent you cold?"

The question came out of the blue and was totally unexpected and had Sam shaking his head at the sudden change in subject. He'd completely forgotten how cold the morning air was on his skin until Dean had brought it up again.

"I'll live." Sam watched Dean for a few more seconds before he looked away, his gaze resting back on the truck. He stepped up to it, placing his hand on the black metal. "What was it with Dad and black cars?" he wondered allowed.

"Are you kidding me? Black is _the_ colour. It completes a car."

"Okay." Sam didn't get it, probably never would.

The sound of the screen door creaking open had both Dean and Sam turning to look up at the porch. Bobby walked out, yawning into his hand. "What are you to knuckleheads doing?" Brutus sat excitedly at his master's feet, looking up expectantly for a pat. He was rewarded a few moments later when Bobby leant down and gave his head a good rub before shooing him off. Sam shared a look with Dean.

"Mornin' Bobby," Dean greeted with a smirk, leaning back against the truck again.

"We're just going through Dad's things." Well that had been what they had started off doing.

"I've been trying to teach Sam about the importance of a car's colour."

"Apparently black completes a car," Sam added.

"Black huh? I'm partial to dark green myself," Bobby said, scratching his bearded chin.

"Dark Green is a cop out, man; a real car should be black."

"What are we going to do with the truck?" Sam asked halting the car colour debate. That was something Dean and Bobby could do without his involvement.

Dean stiffened at the question, stared at the large GMC. "I …"

"What?" Sam asked carefully.

Dean laughed, shrugged his good shoulder, the other one still too stiff. "I dunno, man. I guess I'm not sure what to do now. I don't know whether I'm ready to just get rid of it."

"We already have a car." Sam pointed out. "Although I have to admit that it would feel wrong letting someone else have it."

"There's no reason you have to make a decision now. You can keep it here until you're ready to decide. I'm sure I got a safe place in the garage out the back. We'll just cover it up until you boys are ready."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, feeling lighter suddenly with the knowledge that they wouldn't have to give it up so soon. He hadn't realised how he felt about giving up a part of their father they had only just found until it came time to decide. Now he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with it either.

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure, kid." Bobby assured him. "Don't make no sense to do anything if you're not ready."

"Thanks Bobby."

Bobby nodded and then shivered as if noticing the cold for the first time. "Now if we're finished with this little mothers club meeting I'm going inside." Bobby started heading back towards the house, speaking as he walked. "And Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"You feed that dog anymore scraps and I'll have your hide. I don't need a big slobbering softy guarding the yard, y'hear?"

"Yes Sir."

Dean rolled his eyes at his brother as soon as Bobby was in side. "You're hopeless." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "The dog needs to toughen up, man."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Really? So that's what you were doing late last night when you were feeding him the rest of Bobby's meatloaf? Toughening him up?"

"Did you taste that meatloaf last night? I don't know what Bobby did to it but if that doesn't toughen him up I don't know what will."

Sam's lips formed into a smile and then a reluctant laugh left him. His hand was resting on the cold Truck. Things felt right in this moment. Things were far from alright but he wasn't alone and that was what mattered. For now.

"Coffee?" he asked, hopeful to get back into the warm house.

Dean smiled, a real one, and patted the side of the truck affectionately. "God yes."

The collected all of John's other belongings, the weapons, the case with birth certificates, photos and other memory invoking things and then walked side by side to the front door. Everything Kate had teased them with was in its rightful place. Dean was still by his side and between him and Bobby they would save him, they had to.

"Hey, Sammy, do you remember that time Dad …"

**The End**

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**A/N-2: **After all this time it feels weird for this story to be over lol I hope you have all enjoyed it and you all really have been the best! Supernatural is so close to airing now and it's been a long wait. I hope everyone really enjoys the Season 4 premiere! Thanks again and Take care!!

Tara x0x


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